GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
m
3006 BERN, SWITZERLAND
EURO-AFRICA DIVISION
SCHOSSHALDENSTRASSE 17
-
0
031 44 02 82
TO: Sabbath School Members
Around the World.
S
Dear
Sabbath School Members,
I have been•deegy impiessed by the way the members of the Sabbath School
family are continually helping one'another.: Since I have been working in the
administration, I have observed in the statistical_reports
-
:the wonderful re-
sults of the enthusiasm generated in our Sabbath Schools for the world-wide
mission program.
Now, we in the Euro-Africa Division are the recipients. Whether we give,
or whether we receive, we are all blessed by God Who looks .with loving favor
upon His children in all lands.
' Even now, before we receive your offering, we would like to thank you for
your sacrifice. We will be directing the
.
"Overflow7 from the thirteenth
Sabbath to the follOwing very needy projects:
1. Italian Publishing House. The sale of our literature by our litera-
ture evangelists has developed so rapidly that ourpublishing house is too
small to cope with the needs of the work. Built in 1925 when we had only
about 400 members in Italy, this fine institution has served us well. But
now
.
we must expand,. and we are counting on you to assist us.
- 2. Union Training School - Mozambique. With 14,000 'church members, and
27,000 Sabbath School members, our educational program in Mozambique is
stretched to the limit. We have many elementary schools, but only''one secon-
dary school, namely •Munguluni Training School,„ established in 1957. Unfor7,
tunately, this school has no provision to enable students to earn their board
or tuition.; There is no scope for industry or agriculture. So a new school
is to be built near Beira, which will provide a well balanced training program
forour workers. We are sure you will want to help in this project.
Will you not give generously this thirteenth Sabbath? Let us'prepare for
this offering, and God will bless what we do.
Your brother in the faith,
Oswald Bremer
Associate Secretary
Euro-Africa Division
Daybreak
Adult Sabbath School Lessons
No. 320, April-June, 1975
Editor
W. Richard Lesher
Editorial Secretary
Florence Wetmore
Circulation Manager
A. R. Mazat
Art Director
Howard Larkin
Design
Susan Sprague
Author of Lessons Second
Quarter, 1975
Gottfried Oosterwal
The Adult Sabbath School
Lessons are prepared by the
Sabbath School Department
of the General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists. The
preparation of the lessons is
under the general direction of
a worldwide Sabbath School
Lesson Committee, the members
of which serve as consulting
editors.
Editorial Office:
6840 Eastern Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20012
Series
Lesson Titles for the Quarter
1.
The Image of God
2.
Jesus, the Example of God's
Image
3.
The Body and God's Image
4.
The Soul and God's Image
5.
Sin's Beginnings
6.
Man, the Sinner
7.
Man and God
8.
Man and His Fellowman
9.
Man and Nature
10.
Man and Death
11.
Man and Eternal Life
12.
The Image of God Restored
13.
A New Creature
Copyright 1975 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Cover photo by Concerned Communications
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1—AQt—
2-75
"As a means of intellectual training,
the opportunities of the Sabbath are
invaluable. Let the Sabbath-school les-
son be learned, not by a hasty glance
at the lesson scripture on Sabbath
morning, but by careful study for the
next week on Sabbath afternoon, with
daily review or illustration during the
week. Thus the lesson will become
fixed in the memory, a treasure never
to be wholly lost."
—"Education/' pages 251, 252.
I pledge myself to the careful and prayerful study of
some portion of my Sabbath School lesson each day
of the week.
(signed)
The regular Adult Sabbath School Lessons are available free each
month in Braille and 16
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/
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rpm records to blind and physically
handicapped persons who cannot read normal inkprint. This in-
cludes individuals who because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
paralysis, accidents, old age, and so forth, cannot hold or focus on
normal inkprint publications. Contact the Christian Record Braille
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In the Image of God
Introduction
Man has always asked questions about himself: What is life? What is living?
Why is there evil? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Yet never before
has the question, What is man? been of such overwhelming concern to so many
people all over the world.
The reasons are found in what has been happening to us. Evolutionary theory
has eroded the view of man as a creature of God, but it has failed to give man
the meaning of his life and destiny. The revolutionary changes of our time have
affected every aspect of our lives: our work, our personhood, our relation with
other people, our life-style, our interests, and our morality. The thousand-and-one
new ideologies and philosophies on man, including the "new morality" and hun-
dreds of new cults and sects, have caused great intellectual confusion, moral
restlessness, and spiritual bewilderment.
But though there exists a remarkable consensus among thinking people every-
where that man is seriously ill and needs healing, people differ concerning the
real causes of man's illness and brokenness. And how can we even start thinking
about healing man before we know for sure what the disease is and what causes
it? But our understanding of the disease and its causes, and our insights into the
best way to heal and to help man, hinge on the question,
What is man?
In our scientific age many have turned to science for an answer to the ques-
tions about man. Science has given us many insights and great power; but to the
question, What is man? it has no answer. "Man is," wrote Alexis Carrel, scientist
and Nobel Prize winner for physiology, "a great unknown, and a stranger."
Many in our day, therefore, are turning to philosophy, mysticism, occultism, or
spiritualism to find an answer to the pressing question, What is man? But, though
philosophy has greatly enhanced our understanding of man, its insights and find-
ings are so diverse and so contradictory that it is impossible to find in existen-
tialism, Marxism, vitalism, humanism, or any of the many other "isms" a view of
man that is central to them all and that could guide us in the struggles, ques-
tions, and perplexities of life. Philosophers and mystics are human too. They can
look at man only from within their own limited human experience. But there is
no real knowledge about man within man himself.
To find out, therefore, who and what we are, we must go beyond the limita-
tions set by our own senses and experiences. We must turn to a source that lies
outside of man. That source we find in God's revelation; that is, in the inspired
Word of God. Who but the Spirit of God really understands our minds, and who
but God knows our hearts? And as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Prov. 23:7,
KJV. It is as the psalmist says, "In thy light shall we see light." Ps. 36:9.
This quarter's study centers on the Biblical view of man. This is not a mere
theoretical discussion on "dry doctrines"; it is an issue of practical concern.
The Biblical message on man is the only solution to modern man's confusion,
restlessness, and bewilderment. It is like a cup of water to a person dying from
thirst in a desert. It is the only medicine that can heal man from his present
illness, the only cure to restore him from his brokenness. May the insights
gained during this quarter of Bible study inspire us to go out into the world to
announce the good news to all men. May this study also hasten the day when
we shall all be renewed after the image of Christ (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10) and
reflect His character in our lives and thoughts, so that our Lord can come and
our destiny can be fulfilled.
5
1-AQt--2-75
1HE IMKGE OF GOD
LESSON 1
March 30-April 5
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him." Gen. 1:27.
The Bible pictures man as a creature made in the image of God. See Gen.
1:26, 27; 5:1, 2; 9:6; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; James 3:9. In this term lies the whole
essence of man—his origin, his nature, and his destiny. But what does the term
actually mean? Many books have been written in an attempt to give a right in-
terpretation of the term "the image of God." And there is yet no end to the
debate. What is the difficulty? For one thing, the reality of it is foreign to us.
We cannot point to any ordinary human being who in his life and person fully
reflects the image of God. Furthermore, the Bible itself nowhere gives us a full
and clear definition. To the contrary, from the many texts that speak of the
image of God a rather large variety of meanings emerges. Adam and Eve were
the only persons who, at least for some time, really lived up to their calling as
the image of God; but the descriptions of them in the Bible are very limited.
Would Bible writers have used the term so often if it is impossible for man
to understand its true meaning? Would they have urged us to be renewed after
the image of our Creator if they had not spelled out its meaning? Would Ellen
White so consistently have written about the restoration of the image of God
in man as Jesus' work of redemption if the meaning were unknowable? The
descriptions of Adam, the first man created in the image of God, may be vague.
But the first Adam has been followed by the second Adam. In Jesus Christ,
whom the Scriptures call the very image of God, we find the perfect model of
a true man. See 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15. And the apostle Paul says that the be-
liever has to "put on the new nature, which is being constantly renewed in the
image of its Creator," "which shows itself in the just and devout life." Col. 3:10;
Eph. 4:24, NEB. The conclusion is that by a diligent study of the Word of God,
by comparing scripture with scripture, and by studying the life and the person of
Jesus Christ as the very image of God, we may indeed find the essential meaning
of the term, "image of God."
Ellen White wrote that "the education to be se-
cured by searching the Scriptures is an experimental knowledge of the plan
of salvation. Such an education will restore the image of God in the soul."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
pages 42, 43.
"The word destroys the natural, earthly nature, and imparts a new life in
Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the trans-
forming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple;
he becomes a new creature."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 391.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Man Is a Creature, Acts 17:26-28
2.
To Glorify God, Isa. 43:7;
1 Cor. 6:19, 20
3.
The Divine Seal, Ezek. 20:12, 20
4.
Male and Female, Gen. 1:27; 5:1
5.
To Rule the Earth, Gen. 1:26
6.
And Subdue It, Gen. 1:28
The Image of God
LESSON 1
❑
Sunday
March30
Part 1
MAN IS A
CREATURE
"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to
dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the
times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
. . . for in him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts
17:26-28.
The message that emerges from every passage speaking
of man as the image of God (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:1-3; 9:6; Col.
3:10) is: Man owes his life to God. He does not exist by him-
self. Scientists have advanced theories to explain the origin
of life, but true scientific investigation cannot penetrate the
moment of beginning. We owe our life to God. It did not begin
spontaneously, and it does not continue by itself.
To what events does the Bible ascribe the origin of life in
man? Gen. 2:7.
It
is apparent that man has no life in himself, no natural
immortality; only God has. But, as a creature made in the image
of God, man was made "to share in the very being of God,"
who is life. 2 Peter 1:4, NEB. See also John 14:6.
What are some of the images used in the Bible to empha-
size man's dependence upon his Maker? Isa. 64:8; Jer.
18:2-11; John 15:5, 6.
What is the meaning of the tree of life in Genesis 2:9?
See also Gen. 3:22-24.
"The tree of life is a representation of the preserving care
of Christ for His children. As Adam and Eve ate of this tree,
they acknowledged their dependence upon God. The tree of
life possessed the power to perpetuate life, and as long as
they ate it, they could not die. The lives of the antediluvians
were protracted because of the life-giving power of this tree,
which was transmitted to them from Adam and Eve."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol.
7,
p. 988.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways do I recognize my dependence upon God?
"God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery.
There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved
by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal
or vegetable life....
"Man was formed in the likeness of God. His nature was
in harmony with the will of God. . . . His affections were pure;
his appetites and passions were under the control of reason.
He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in
perfect obedience to His
will."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 45.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 44, 45.
8
The Image of
God
LESSON 1
❑
Monday
March 31
Part 2
For what purpose was man created? Isa. 43:7; 1 Cor.
TO GLORIFY GOD
6:19, 20.
To be called the image of God implies a very special rela-
tionship between man and God. Animals and plants, too, de-
pend upon God for their life. But as the image of God, man
received the power to think and to speak so that he could
respond to God. That ability to respond—returning love for
love and gratitude for grace—meant that man also had re-
sponsibility for what he would do, say, and think.
Since the creation declares the glory of God (Ps. 19:1-6),
what difference is there between man's way of glorifying
God and that of the rest of God's creation? John 15:8; Matt.
5:16; Rom. 15:5, 6.
Only man has the ability to acknowledge Jesus as Creator.
The whole creation declares the glory of God. But it does so
unawares, not by its own choice or volition. Only man, being
in the image of God, can consciously and in freedom respond
to his Creator and acknowledge the goal for which he was
made, that is, to glorify God. As soon as he loses sight of that
goal, life loses its quality. Then the image of God is marred,
and man is thrown off balance.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the relationship between the first angel's message
and the restoration of the image of God? Read Rev. 14:6, 7.
"Created to be 'the image and glory of God' (1 Corinthians
11:7), Adam and Eve had received endowments not unworthy
of their high destiny. Graceful and symmetrical in form, regular
and beautiful in feature, their countenances glowing with the
tint of health and the light of joy and hope, they bore in out-
ward resemblance the likeness of their Maker. Nor was this
likeness manifest in the physical nature only. Every faculty
of mind and soul reflected the Creator's
glory."—Education,
page 20.
"Many misunderstand the object for which they were cre-
ated. It was to bless humanity and glorify God, rather than to
enjoy and glorify
self."—Testimonies,
Vol. 4, p. 354.
"'God created man in His own image' (Genesis 1:27), and
it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he
should reveal this image—the more fully reflect the glory of
the
Creator."—Education,
page 15.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 44, 45.
9
The Image of God
LESSON 1
❑
Tuesday
April 1
Part 3
THE DIVINE
SEAL
"Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign
between me and them, that they might know that I am the
Lord that sanctify them."
"And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign be-
tween me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord
your God." Ezek. 20:12, 20.
In
Eden God gave Adam and Eve a clear sign to remind
them constantly of their high calling, nature, and destiny as
the image of God.
What seal did God put on His image, and for what pur-
pose? Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Ezek. 20:20; Mark 2:27.
God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. That is, God
set the day aside as a special day to remind man of his de-
pendence upon his Maker. By instituting the Sabbath, a special
gift of grace (Mark 2:27), God constantly reminds man of the
fact that it is He who holds the times in His hands (Ps. 31:14,
15), who sustains the universe (Heb. 1:2, 3) and who gives
man life and breath and all else (Acts 17:25). It is the cord
that ties man to God. With the Sabbath God has provided a
seal for man as His image. The seal and image of God are
so intimately related that to break one is to break the other.
This is clear throughout the whole history of God's people.
By what three incidents did Jesus confirm the intimate
relationship between the Sabbath and the work of restoring
the image of God in man? John 5:1-18; Matt. 12:1-14.
THINK IT THROUGH
How does Sabbath observance help me in living up to my
calling and destiny as the image of God?
"'The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of crea-
tion is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship
is due to God'—because He is the Creator, and we are His
creatures. 'The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation
of divine worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most
impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The
true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day
merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between
the Creator and His creatures. . . .'—J. N. Andrews,
History
of the Sabbath,
chapter 27. It was to keep this truth ever before
the minds of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden. . . .
Had the Sabbath been universally kept, man's thoughts and
affections would have been led to the Creator as the object of
reverence and worship, and there would never have been an
idolater, an atheist, or an infidel."—The
Great Controversy,
pages 437, 438.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 287-289.
10
The Image of God
LESSON 1
❑
Wednesday
April
2
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of
God created he him; male and female created he them."
Gen. 1:27.
"In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God
made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed
them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they
were created."
ten.
5:1, 2.
There is a sense in which man was not made a single in-
dividual, but two. The image of God is a
plurality.
Notice what
the text says: "Male and female He created them . . . and
named
them
Man." Gen. 5:1, 2, RSV. Not Adam alone is man.
As male and female, in their togetherness, they are called man.
The name "Adam" and the word "man" are the same word
in Hebrew; thus some Bible versions use "Adam" in the above
texts, while others use "man."
What words of God to man, and about him, suggest that
the image of God includes the partnership between male and
female? Gen. 1:27, 28; 2:18-24.
One other passage deserves consideration in this connec-
tion. Genesis 1:26 states: "And God said, Let us make man in
our image." Why does the Scripture here suddenly introduce
the plural pronouns,
"us"
and
"our"?
God did not use them
when He made the planets and the earth and all that is in it.
We can infer that there is a relationship between the creation
of man in the image of God and the use of the plural pronouns
"us"
and
"our."
God Himself consists of more than one person
(1 Cor. 8:6; John 1:1-3; Matt. 28:19); and His image, therefore,
reflects that plurality.
The duality of male and female does not refer only to man's
sexuality. Man, in the Biblical view, is not characterized by his
biological nature, but by his personality and his relationships.
Man is always a total person, an indivisible whole. Male and
female are two complementary ways of being a human person.
The Biblical view of man holds that male and female are per-
sons who are made for each other, who need each other, who
challenge each other, who complement each other, and who
enrich each other. This can be seen in everyday Christian re-
lationships between men and,women.
In their togetherness they are called "man," made in the
image of God.
THINK IT THROUGH
In which ways can a person best fulfill his calling as the
image of God? Is marriage the only way?
"Man was not made to dwell in solitude; he was to be a
social
being."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 46.
FURTHER STUDY
The Adventist Home,
pages 45-48, 99, 116-118.
11
Part 4
MALE AND
FEMALE
The Image of God
LESSON 1
❑
Thursday
April 3
"And God said, Let us make man 'in our image, after our
likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth." Gen. 1:26.
The whole creation was made for a purpose. The record
states that when creation stood completed, "God saw every
thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen.
1:31. This means that the entire creation was well suited for
the particular purpose for which God had made it. From the
way the creation account is given it may be concluded further
that each step was meant as a preparation for the next. Last
in creation came man, the one for whom it was made, the
image of God. To him was given dominion over the whole•
earth and all that was in it.
What majestic role did God give to man in the universe?
Ps. 8:1-9.
"Every human being, created in the image of God, is en-
dowed with a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality,
power to think and to
do."—Education,
page 17. Made lower
than God, he was crowned with glory and honor. He was made
for the exercise of kingly powers. This is a far cry from the
pessimism, the poverty, and the powerlessness of the millions
of people living in misery today. But that was never God's
intention. It came upon man when he broke his relationship
with God, when he no longer recognized his Creator as the
source and owner of all things. Snatching at equality with God,
man fell from royal greatness to utter misery, from freedom
to slavery, from power to weakness. Since Psalm 8 refers to
man after he fell into sin, the message it contains is, in fact,
a call to return to the greatness and dignity with which the
Creator endowed man when He made him in His own image.
By what means and when will men again rule as kings
over the earth? 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:9, 10 (see RSV); Rev. 3:21;
22:5.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is man's present control of the earth still an evidence of
his creation in the image of God? or is it an unholy usurpa-
tion of power? or both?
"He [God] has endowed us with a power not wholly unlike
His. To us has been given a degree of control over the forces
of nature. As God called forth the earth in its beauty out of
chaos, so we can bring order and beauty out of confusion. And
though all things are now marred with evil, yet in our com-
pleted work we feel a joy akin to His, when, looking on the
fair earth, He pronounced it 'very good.'
"—Education,
pages
214, 215.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 48, 49.
12
Part 5
TO RULE
THE EARTH
The Image of God
LESSON 1
❑
Friday
April 4
Part 6
AND SUBDUE IT
"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue
it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon
the earth." Gen. 1:28.
The aspect of the image of God spelled out most elaborately
in Genesis 1:26-28 is man's relationship to the natural world.
Dominion over the earth, rulership over God's creation, the
charter to fill the earth, and the commission to work, to create,
to build, and to invent clearly belong to the very nature of
man. In this respect man is truly an image of his Maker, who
filled the earth with new life, and who continued to work con-
stantly in it. See Gen. 1, 2; John 5:17.
What divine charter is given to man in Genesis 2:15?
God's commission to Adam to till the garden and to care
for it is the very basis of man's cultural activities in the widest
sense of that word. Even the English word "culture"—referring
to the complex whole of human activities, thoughts, and be-
haviors—originates from a word that means "to plough; to till
the soil; to tend the garden." Paradise was not a place where
no work was to be done; it was the starting point of a dynamic
life of labor, thought, and human creativity under God. Work,
in the fullest sense of that word, is essential to man's whole
life.
What kind of work does Isaiah's prophecy of Judah in-
dicate man will still do in the new earth? Isa. 65:21-23.
Vigorous mental and physical activities are part of the nature
and calling of the image of God. They became "a safeguard
against temptation"
(Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 50) after
man fell into sin, and they will remain a part of his life in the
new earth. In Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15 and Isa. 65:21-23 we find
the divine charter for man's exploration of the earth, the devel-
opment and control of its resources.
Science and technology stem from this Biblical charter. The
earth and its space were made for man and given for his use.
THINK IT THROUGH
What prevents men today from being really in control of
the earth and its space?
"God appointed labor as a blessing to man. . . . In mental
and physical activity Adam found one of the highest pleasures
of his holy existence. . . . Our Creator, who understands what
is for man's happiness, appointed Adam his work. The true
joy of life is found only by the working men and women."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 50.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 50, 51.
13
•
.4
HARRY ANDERSON, ARTIST, © PPPA
the Example
of God's Ignore
LESSON 2
April 6 12
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed
to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
Rom. 8:29.
The Biblical term, "the image of God," has a large variety of meanings. From
the texts it appears that these meanings may be summarized under three head-
ings: 1. Man is a child of God, made for His glory. 2. Man is made not for Himself,
but for fellowship with his fellowman, his neighbor. 3. Man was given dominion
over the earth and power to rule over nature.
Ellen G. White, in a similar vein, summarized the image of God in the follow-
ing paragraph: "God created man a superior being; he alone is formed in the
image of God, and is capable of partaking of the divine nature, of cooperating
with his Creator and executing His plans."—Sons
and Daughters of God,
page 7.
These thoughts put into perspective the commonly held view that the image
of God refers to man's power to speak and to think, his bodily features, or his
"soul." These features are essential to enable man to act in his capacity as the
image of God. But the root idea of the image of God is that man's capacities
be used for the loving end to which God uses His omnipotence. This is indi-
cated by the fact that a person may think, speak, and act in rebellion.
The person of Jesus Christ is the standard by which the image of God can
be explained. The Bible testifies of Him that He was the very image of God
(2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15) and thereby an example for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21) so
that we might be renewed after His image (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Jesus Christ
was the Son of man, an expression used almost eighty times in the Gdspels to
indicate that "As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to
be."—Sons
and Daughters of God,
page 21.
Jesus Christ, as the image of God, is not only the very source of our knowl-
edge concerning man, his nature and his destiny; He is also the only standard
by which all our understanding about man must be judged, and our only ex-
ample to follow. Only in Jesus do we know what God intended us to be; and
only in Him, and through Him, will we be renewed into the image of our Maker.
"Christ came to this world, subject to His Father's will, for one great purpose
—to show men and women what God desires them to be and what, through
His grace, they may
be."—Medical
Ministry,
page 42.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Son of God, Matt. 16:15, 16
2.
The Word Made Flesh, John 1:1, 3, 14
3.
He Was Without Sin, 2 Cor. 5:21
4.
He Humbled Himself, Phil. 2:5-8
5.
A Life of Service, Matt. 20:26-28
6.
Wind and Sea Obey Him, Matt. 8:26, 27
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
❑
Sunday
April 6
Part 1
THE SON OF GOD
"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And
Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God." Matt. 16:15, 16.
The question Jesus once raised, Who do the people say
the Son of man is? still confronts us today. Modern man's
reaction to Jesus is as varied as it was in the days when Jesus
lived as a man among men. Some say, He is a prophet; others,
He is possessed, a psychopath. Why listen to Him? See John
10:20, 21. What is
our
answer?
On what basis can men say, "Jesus is the Son of God"?
Matt. 9:1-8; 11:27, 28.
Any individual who is confronted with Jesus Christ recog-
nizes in Him a unique and very exceptional Person. Even His
enemies had to admit that He was different—in authority, in
power, in character, in holiness. This difference the Bible ex-
plains as the result of His divine origin. Jesus was God. He
forgave men their sins, which led people to the reaction, Who
but God alone can forgive sins? Matt. 9:1-8; Mark 2:5-7. Jesus,
in fact, had all the authority and power which the Scriptures
attribute only to God. John 5:26, 27; Matt. 28:18.
Why is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God necessary?
John 14:6-14; 17:3; Acts 4:11, 12; 16:31.
"The only way in which the fallen race could be restored
was through the gift of his Son, equal with himself, possessing
the attributes of God."—Ellen G. White,
Review and Herald,
Nov. 8, 1892, p. 690. (Quoted in
Questions on Doctrine,
page
641.)
THINK IT THROUGH
Do I really believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of
God? On what basis?
FURTHER STUDY
16
"Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with
the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the
only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes
of God. 'His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.'
Isaiah 9:6. His 'goings forth have been from of old, from ever-
lasting.' Micah
5:2."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 34.
"No one, looking upon the childlike countenance, shining
with animation, could say that Christ was just like other chil-
dren. He was God in human flesh."—Ellen G. White,
The
Youth's Instructor,
Sept. 8, 1898. (Quoted in
Questions on
Doctrine,
page 649.)
The Desire of Ages,
pages 207-213.
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
El Monday
April 7
Part 2
THE WORD
MADE FLESH
Read John 1:1, 3, 14.
Though verily God, Jesus was at the same time truly man.
The Bible maintains that Jesus took upon Himself the form of
a human being, our flesh and blood, our very nature (Phil. 2:6,
7). This is a great mystery (1 Tim. 3:16), but it is the heart of
the Christian gospel, the basis of man's salvation (1 John 4:2, 3).
How much did Jesus actually become like a man? Rom.
8:3; Heb. 2:14-17; Phil. 2:6, 7.
"Christ did not make-believe take human nature; He did
verily take it. He did in reality possess human nature. 'As the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like-
wise took part of the same.' He was the Son of Mary; He was
of the seed of David according to human descent."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 5, p. 1130.
What Scriptural evidence is there that Jesus was verily a
man of our flesh and blood? Matt. 26:38; John 4:6, 7; Isa.
53:1-5.
"He came to this world in human form, to live a man
amongst men. He assumed the liabilities of human nature, to
be proved and tried."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 5, p. 1114.
"Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren. He
became flesh, even as we are. He was hungry and thirsty and
weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He
shared the lot of man."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 311.
Why did God become man? Luke 19:10; John 17:4-6;
1 John 3:8.
"Christ could not have come to this earth with the glory
that He had in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beings could
not have borne the sight. He veiled His divinity with the garb
of humanity, but He did not part with His divinity. A divine-
human Saviour, He came to stand at the head of the fallen
race, to share in their experience from childhood to manhood.
That human beings might be partakers of the divine nature, He
came to this earth, and lived a life of perfect obedience."—
Ellen G. White,
Review and Herald,
June 15, 1905. (Quoted in
Questions on Doctrine,
pages 648, 649.)
THINK IT THROUGH
What does the incarnation mean to me?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 19-21.
17
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
111 Tuesday
April 8
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
2 Cor. 5:21.
Jesus was subject to all our infirmities, temptations, and
weaknesses. He subjected Himself to all the humbling condi-
tions of man's fallen nature after thousands of years of sin.
But He was without sin. 1 John 3:5. None could ever convict
Him of any wrongdoing, not even His enemies. John 8:46; Luke
23:14.
Could Jesus have fallen into sin?
"Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be over-
come by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in
Adam's position; He could not have gained the victory that
Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying
conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor
us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He
took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temp-
tation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured."—
The Desire of Ages,
page 117.
Can Jesus' example of living without sinning be reached
by men? 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 John 3:1-10.
Contrary to those who maintain that Jesus lived a sinless
life because of His divinity, the Bible assures us that Jesus
became a "second Adam" and lived His life of perfect obe-
dience to God and love to His neighbor as a human being. He
used no powers that are not available to any person who by
faith is renewed after the image of God. "Christ came to the
earth, taking humanity and standing as man's representative, to
show in the controversy with Satan that man, as God created
him, connected with the Father and the Son, could obey every
divine requirement."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 7, p. 926.
"As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers
to
be."—Testimonies,
Vol. 8, p. 289.
"We cannot equal the pattern; but we shall not be approved
of God if we do not copy it and, according to the ability which
God has given, resemble
it."—Testimonies,
Vol. 2, p. 549.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is there in my life that hinders me from imitating
the pattern of Christ?
"Christ has redeemed Adam's disgraceful fall, and has per-
fected a character of perfect obedience, and left an example
for the human family, that they may imitate the Pattern."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 5, p. 1081.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 68-71, 74.
18
Part 3
HE WAS
WITHOUT SIN
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
❑
Wednesday
April
9
Part 4
HE HUMBLED
HIMSELF
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the like-
ness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross." Phil. 2:5-8.
From the very beginning to the very end Jesus lived for
God, doing His will and glorifying Him. To His parents He ex-
plained, "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's
house?" Luke 2:49, RSV. At His baptism Jesus told John the
Baptist that He wished to "fulfill all righteousness." Matt. 3:15,
RSV. And at the end of His life, Jesus cried out, "Not my will,
but thine, be done." Luke 22:42. From the beginning to the
end Jesus' life was characterized by His own words, "My food
is to do the will of him who sent me." John 4:34, RSV.
By what authority and power did Jesus live a life of
obedience to God? John 5:30; 8:28.
After Jesus had told His disciples that He could do nothing
of Himself and that all they had seen Him do was the result
of His total surrender to God, His Father, He added, "I am the
vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing." John 15:5. Man can live up to his calling as the image
of God only if he recognizes that without Christ he can do
nothing.
What did Jesus see as the purpose of His life? John 17:
1-4. See also Luke 2:13, 14.
Jesus could be the Person He was because He was wholly
dedicated to God, lived in total dependence upon Him, and
trusted and obeyed Him in everything. It is this characteristic
that sets Him apart from us and challenges us to become like
Him. As the pot is made for the glory of the potter, so is man
made to glorify Him whose image he bears.
THINK IT THROUGH
In which ways do I glorify God?
"'The
light of the knowledge of the glory of God' is seen
'in the face of Jesus Christ.' . . . He was 'the image of God,'
the image of His greatness and majesty, 'the outshining of His
glory.' It was to manifest this glory that He came to our world."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 19.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 22-26.
19
2-A0t-1-15
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
❑
Thursday
April 10
What did Jesus teach was the fulfillment of His life?
"Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your
minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be
your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be minis-
tered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many." Matt. 20:26-28.
What examples from Jesus' life give evidence that His
life was wholly devoted to His fellowmen? Matt. 4:23-25;
Luke 8:1, 2. See also Acts 10:38.
Jesus has shown us clearly that the image of God is real-
ized in a life of complete surrender to God and of a total de-
votion to our fellowmen. As the image of God, man lives to
glorify God and to serve his neighbor. These two aspects of
life are inseparable.
What is the relationship between our service to God and
our service to our fellowmen? Matt. 25:31-46; 1 John 4:11-21.
"His [Christ's] followers are not to feel themselves detached
from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the
great web of humanity; and Heaven looks upon them as broth-
ers to sinners as well as to saints. The fallen, the erring, and
the sinful, Christ's love embraces; and every deed of kindness
done to uplift a fallen soul, every act of mercy, is accepted as
done to Him."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 638.
THINK IT THROUGH
Who is my neighbor?
"In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the
nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems,
creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in
bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 497.
"Christ has shown that our neighbor does not mean merely
one of the church or faith to which we belong. It has no refer-
ence to race, color, or class distinction. Our neighbor is every
person who needs our help.... Our neighbor is everyone who
is the property of God.
"In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture
of Himself and His mission....
"The lesson is no less needed in the world today.... Many
who profess His name have lost sight of the fact that Christians
are to represent Christ. Unless there is practical self-sacrifice
for the good of others, in the family circle, in the neighborhood,
in the church, and wherever we may be, then whatever our
profession, we are not Christians."—The
Desire of Ages,
pages
503, 504.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 642-645.
20
Part 5
A LIFE OF
SERVICE
Jesus, the Example of God's Image
LESSON 2
❑
Friday
April II
Part 6
WIND AND SEA
OBEY HIM
"Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and
there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What
manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey
him!" Matt. 8:26, 27.
Indeed, what sort of a man is this? This experience points
out a third characteristic of Jesus, "the very image of God."
Besides living a life of total dependence upon His Father and
of service to His fellowmen, Jesus rules over the earth. He has
dominion over the wind and the sea; He is in control of the
fish and of the wild animals, as God had commissioned man
when He made him in His own image.
What other examples are there in Scripture of Jesus' con-
trol of nature? Luke 5:1-7; John 2:1-11.
These miracles of Jesus' control over nature have often been
ascribed to His divinity, and therefore as not related to our
human nature at all. But Jesus was man. Of course these
miracles are related to divine power, but not due to Jesus'
divinity. It is God's power working through Jesus. See follow-
ing quotation.
What is the main obstacle to man today in executing con-
trol over nature? Matt. 14:28-32; 17:14-18. See also Mark
16:16-20 and Acts 5:12-16.
"When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, He was in
perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for
no fear was in His heart. But He rested not in the possession
of almighty power. It was not as the 'Master of earth and sea
and sky' that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid
down, and He says, 'I can of Mine own self do nothing.' John
5:30. He trusted in the Father's might. It was in faith—faith in
God's love and care—that Jesus rested, and the power of that
word which stilled the storm was the power of God."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 336.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why do I lack faith? What can I do to increase it?
"The followers of Christ are to become like Him—by the
grace of God to form characters in harmony with the principles
of His holy law. This is Bible sanctification.
"This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ,
by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.... The Christian
will feel the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a constant
warfare against it. Here is where Christ's help is needed. Human
weakness becomes united to divine strength."—The
Great
Controversy,
pages 469, 470.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 333-341.
21
"We may behold and admire the work of God
in the natural world, but the human habitation is
the most wonderful.
"From the first dawn of reason the human mind
should become intelligent in regard to the physical
structure. Here Jehovah has given a specimen of
Himself; for man was made in the image of God.
It is Satan's determined work to destroy the moral
image of God in man. He would make the intelli-
gence of man, his highest, noblest gift, the most
destructive agent to pollute with sin everything he
touches."—"Medical Ministry," page 221.
The Body
and God's Image
"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice
LESSON 3
and offering thou wouldest not, but a body host thou prepared
A
.,
r
,ll
/349
me. . . . Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is writ-
ten of me,) to do thy will, 0 God." Heb. 10:5-7.
In the Scripture the term "image of God" refers not only to what
man
has,
but also to what he
is;
not only to his abilities or his at-
tributes, but also to his activities, his character, his relationships.
Some have concluded, therefore, that man's physical nature, his
body, is of no importance. Throughout the centuries people have
believed that the image of God consists of man's soul or his moral
character only. But the Bible clearly states that when God created
Adam and Eve, He formed them from a material substance. "And
God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very
good." Gen. 1:31. There is no depreciation or contempt in the
Scriptures for man's physical existence. To the contrary, man's
physical form and attributes are the very instruments by which he
becomes a child of God, a neighbor, and a ruler over God's crea-
tion. There is, in essence, nothing inferior or immoral about the
human flesh. It is a divine gift and an indispensable part of man
as the image of God.
A look at Jesus will affirm this view. He took "our sinful nature"
(Medical Ministry,
page 181), "man's nature in its fallen condition"
(Signs of the Times,
June 9, 1898) with all the "infirmities of de-
generate humanity"
(The Desire of Ages,
page 117). Yet He was
without a taint of corruption and without sin. He was the perfect
image of God. It is obvious, then, that even though our bodies may
be weak and frail, bearing the marks of ages of sin, we can still
be the image of God, as Christ has shown us in His life and person.
The Scripture writers do not distinguish between man's per-
sonality, character, or relationship to God and his fellowmen on
the one hand, and his physical form or attributes on the other. In
Romans 12:1 the apostle Paul urges that we present our "bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your rea-
sonable service." It is clear that the Bible does not refer here to
our physical, biological substance, but to us as whole persons. Of
Jesus we read in Luke 22:19 and 1 Corinthians 11:24 that He gave
His body for us. What is meant, of course, is that Jesus gave
Him-
self,
as Paul also testifies in Galatians 1:3, 4: "Jesus Christ, who
gave himself for our sins." The Biblical concept of man can be
expressed by the statement: Man does not have a body; he
is
a
body.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Man Is Flesh, Gen. 2:21, 23
2.
One Flesh, Gen. 2:24
3.
A Temple of the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 6:19, 20
4.
A Living Creature, Gen. 2:7
5.
Strong in Spirit, Luke 1:80
6.
Freedom, 2 Cor. 3:17
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
❑
Sunday
April 13
Part 1
MAN IS FLESH
What is the meaning of the word "flesh"?
"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam,
and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the
flesh instead thereof; . . . and Adam said, This is now bone
of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." Gen. 2:21, 23.
See also Ex. 30:32; Job 10:11; Ps. 79:2; Isa. 49:26.
The Hebrew word
basar,
meaning "flesh," is used 256 times
in the Old Testament.
Basar
stands for the divine gift of man's
physical form. It is the means through which man communicates
with God and his fellowmen, the form in which he fulfills his
divine calling and destiny.
Basar
is an indispensable part of
man as the image of God.
What other connotations does the word "flesh" have in
the Old Testament? Gen. 6:17, 19; 9:17; Job 10:4; Isa. 40:6-8.
Basar
refers to both men and animals. Both are creatures,
which is also a meaning of flesh. In that respect man is totally
different from God—the Creator, all-powerful, all-knowing, and
present everywhere at once. But man, as flesh, can be at only
one place at a time; he is weak, has very limited knowledge,
and is mortal. "All flesh is grass, and . . . is as the flower of
the field." Isa. 40:6.
Note that
basar
does not have any connotation here of in-
feriority, evil, or sinfulness. But since man is weak and mortal,
the Old Testament writers considered it foolishness when a
person relied on the flesh; that is, on his own strength or the
strength of his fellow creatures. See Jer. 17:5; 2 Chron. 32:8.
The contrast is not between an evil body and a good soul or
spirit, but between a person who relies on himself and the
one who is flesh putting his trust in God. Man is flesh. This is
a challenge to rely solely on God, his Maker.
THINK IT THROUGH
What did Christ, really, give up when He became flesh?
"As a member of the human family He was mortal, but as
God He was the fountain of life to the world. He could, in His
divine person, ever have withstood the advances of death, and
refused to come under its dominion; but He voluntarily laid
down His life, that in so doing He might give life and bring
immortality to light. . . . What humility was this! It amazed
angels. The tongue can never describe it; the imagination
cannot take it in. The eternal Word consented to be made flesh!
God became man!"—Ellen G. White,
Review and Herald,
July
5, 1887. (Quoted in
Questions on Doctrine,
page 56.)
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 43-49.
24
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
❑
Monday
April 14
Part 2
ONE FLESH
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
Gen. 2:24.
See also Eph. 5:31.
Basar
(flesh) stands for the whole person in his physical
existence. Since all men are flesh, the word also refers to the
unity that exists between people. Through Noah God made a
covenant with all flesh. Gen. 9:17. God is, indeed, "the God
of all flesh." Jer. 32:27. In fact, the first time the Bible uses
the term "flesh," it is precisely to emphasize that man is a
social being, that the image of God consists of the together-
ness and solidarity between two or more people. To be of one
flesh, therefore, does not just refer to a biological union be-
tween man and woman, but to the fact that they are one family,
one kin, one communion. At marriage, this new communion
takes precedence over the relationship a person has had with
the members of the family in which he has been reared.
How does "being one flesh" help us in our lives? Gen.
37:27.
The more I recognize the oneness of all flesh, the less
hatred there can be between people "of one flesh." "For no
man ever yet hated his own flesh." Eph. 5:29. No man is an
island. It is precisely because of our lack of emphasis on the
fact that all men are made of one flesh—that we are all of one
race (flesh) and therefore brothers—that there is so much
loneliness, competition, and prejudice in the world today. The
Bible challenges us to recognize that to be a person, we must
show solidarity with our neighbor, who is flesh of our flesh, and
therefore our brother and sister.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the meaning of the fact that Jesus became "one
flesh" with us? In which ways did He show His solidarity with
men?
"Of Christ's relation to His people, there is a beautiful illus-
tration in the laws given to Israel. When through poverty a
Hebrew had been forced to part with his patrimony, and to sell
himself as a bondservant, the duty of redeeming him and his
inheritance fell to the one who was nearest of kin. See Lev.
25:25, 47-49; Ruth 2:20. So the work of redeeming us and our
inheritance, lost through sin, fell upon Him who is 'near of kin'
unto us. It was to redeem us that He became our kinsman.
Closer than father, mother, brother, friend, or lover is the Lord
our Saviour."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 327.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 321-327.
25
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
El Tuesday
April 15
Part 3
A TEMPLE OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye
are not your own? . . . Therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.
The New Testament basically reflects the same view con-
cerning the human body as the Old Testament and therefore
flesh has the following meanings: (1) the whole person in his
physical existence
(Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; 1 Cor. 1:29), so that
the word "flesh" is interchangeable with the personal pronouns
"I," "me," "you," et cetera. Rom. 7:18; Eph. 5:28; 2 Cor. 7:5.
(2) man as a creature, in contrast with God (2 Cor. 1:17; 10:2;
Eph. 6:10-12); he is mortal. 1 Cor. 15:50-53; 2 Cor. 4:11. (3) man
in his fellowship with other human beings. Rom. 4:1; 9:3-5.
The Bible calls the human, fleshly body a temple for God's
glory. But flesh without God's Spirit produces sin. Flesh can
be used for good or evil.
What does the New Testament tell us concerning Jesus'
body? Gal. 4:4; John 20:25, 27; Luke 24:39.
In Matthew 4:2 we read of Jesus' hunger in the wilderness,
and in John 19:28 of His thirst at the cross. According to
Matthew 8:24 Jesus slept in the ship. Matthew 11:19 says that
He ate and He drank, and Luke 24:41-43 mentions that He
did this even after His resurrection. The testimony is clear:
Jesus was a real human being. He existed in the same kind
of human body as His contemporaries. "He employed the
human faculties, for only by adopting these could He be com-
prehended by humanity. . . . He lived out the character of
God through the human body which God had prepared for
Him. He blessed the world by living out in human flesh the life
of God, thus showing that He had the power to unite humanity
to divinity."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
Vol. 7, p. 924.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways do I fail to treat my body as a temple of
the Spirit?
"Wonderful in its significance is the brief record of His early
life: 'The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him.' . . . His mind
was active and penetrating, with a thoughtfulness and wisdom
beyond His years. Yet His character was beautiful in its sym-
metry. The powers of mind and body developed gradually, in
keeping with the laws of childhood."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 68.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 116, 117.
26
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
❑
Wednesday
April 16
Part 4
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
A LIVING
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
CREATURE
became a living soul." Gen. 2:7.
What is the meaning of "breath of life"? Gen. 7:22; Ps.
104:29; 150:6; Isa. 2:22; Acts 17:25.
The Hebrew word most commonly used for "breath" is
ruach.
It is the indication of life in man and also refers to the
power of God in nature, in the animal world, and in man. He
moves and sits and thinks and feels and laughs because God
gives him the power, the
ruach,
to do so.
It is often the case with Biblical terms that they defy our
classifications. Not only do they have more than one mean-
ing, these words can often be used interchangeably with other
terms. For instance,
ruach
means breath, wind, spirit, power,
temper, mood, disposition, anger, courage, sadness, attitude,
et cetera. See Joshua 5:1 and Judges 8:3.
Who is the owner of man's spirit? Num. 16:22; Job 34:14,
15; Eccl. 12:7.
The Bible emphasizes that our heartbeat and our thinking,
our love and our courage, are gifts of God. He is the owner
of our spirit that moves us and makes us the living creatures
we are. But there is one other aspect of
ruach
that needs spe-
cial attention. It is through this spirit that God communicates
with us and empowers us to live up to our calling as the image
of God. This is clearly demonstrated in Ezekiel 36:26-28, RSV.
"A new heart
I
will give you, and a new spirit
I
will put within
you; .. . and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful
to observe my ordinances. You shall dwell in the land which
I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will
be your God." See also Ezek. 37:14; Ps. 51:12, 13. It is this
spirit of a man that gives him understanding (Job 32:8), and
that helps him to become acquainted with God's will for him.
Prov. 1:23.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is my "spirit"?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
Vol. 4, p. 36; Vol. 5, p. 404.
27
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
❑
Thursday
April 17
Part 5
"And the child [John the Baptist] grew, and waxed strong
STRONG IN
in spirit." Luke 1:80.
SPIRIT
The New Testament confirms and elaborates on the teach-
ings of the Old Testament concerning man's spirit. The Greek
word
pneuma,
as it applies to man, is equivalent to the Hebrew
ruach
and means: (1) breath of life (Matt. 27:50; Luke 8:55;
Acts 7:59; James 2:26); (2) disposition, attitude, mood, seat
of emotions, seat of knowledge, et cetera, such as in Mark 2:8;
John 13:21; 1 Peter 3:4; (3) the instrument by which man com-
municates with God. Luke 1:47, 80; Acts 18:24, 25. This third
meaning is especially strongly developed in the writings of the
apostle Paul. Rom. 1:9; 8:16; 1 Cor. 14:2, 14-16. This is a meet-
ing of man's spirit and God's Spirit.
What was the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus?
Matt. 4:1; Luke 2:27; 10:21; John 1:32, 33.
What does Jesus actually mean by being born of the
Spirit? John 3:5-8. See also John 1:33.
Spirit stands for life in the fullest sense. It is only when a
man receives God's spirit, His breath of life, that he becomes
a living being. No man, however, is to live for himself, but for
the glory of God and to serve his fellowmen. The power to do
so comes from God through the Holy Spirit. Man is then a new
creation, having not only a spirit but
the
Spirit, as exemplified
in the life of Christ.
What relationship is there between man's spirit and the
Spirit of Christ? Rom. 8:1-17.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is
it possible for me to have the mind of Christ? See
Phil. 2:5.
"To pray in Christ's name means much. It means that we
are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His
works....
"If we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts
and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to
His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out
our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its
highest delight in doing His service. . . .
"Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will dis-
please God, will know, after presenting their case before Him,
just what course to pursue. And they will receive not only
wisdom, but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will
be imparted to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was
given to Christ . . . was given to Him as the head and repre-
sentative of humanity."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 668.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 668-672.
28
The Body and God's Image
LESSON 3
111 Friday
April 18
Part 6
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Cor.
FREEDOM
3:17, RSV.
When God created man in His own image, He made them
free human beings. Unlike the animals, who are guided by
their instinct, man could make his own choices and decisions.
Freedom is an indispensable aspect of man as the image of
God. For without freedom man cannot really choose, or love,
or respond.
In what way was Adam's freedom realized? Gen. 2:17.
"God placed man under law, as an indispensable condition
of his very existence. He was a subject of the divine govern-
ment, and there can be no government without law. God might
have created man without the power to transgress His law; He
might have withheld the hand of Adam from touching the for-
bidden fruit; but in that case man would have been, not a free
moral agent, but a mere automaton. Without freedom of choice,
his obedience would not have been voluntary, but forced.
There could have been no development of
character."—Pa-
triarchs and Prophets,
page 49.
What choice did Isaiah prophesy that Immanuel would be
prepared to make? Isa. 7:14, 15.
The decision that would confront Immanuel was the same
decision that Adam met before him. Adam was created free
from any bias toward evil, or desire to know it. The choice
Adam had to make was to affirm freely that God was his
Creator, and he God's creature. The purpose for which man
was created was to glorify God. God wanted Adam to do so
voluntarily. The presence of the tree of knowledge of good and
evil was a challenge to Adam to respond to God's love. But
it also opened the possibility not to do so. Freedom, therefore,
is not a goal in itself. Freedom is a means by which man can
fulfill his original calling and destiny: to serve God and to love
his neighbor.
In what way is our freedom today best fulfilled? Gal.
5:1, 13.
THINK IT THROUGH
How do I use my freedom daily?
"The youth have an inborn love of liberty; they desire free-
dom; and they need to understand that these inestimable bless-
ings are to be enjoyed only in obedience to the law of God.
This law is the preserver of true freedom and liberty. . . .
"The psalmist says: 'I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy
precepts.' . . . Psalm
119:45."—Education,
page 291.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
page 466.
29
"In the gift of His son for our redemption, God has
shown how high a value He places upon every human
soul, and He gives to no man liberty to speak con-
temptuously of another. We shall see faults and
weaknesses in those about us, but God claims every
soul as His property—His by creation, and doubly His
as purchased by the precious blood of Christ. All were
created in His image, and even the most degraded
are to be treated with respect and tenderness. God
will hold us accountable for even a word spoken in
contempt of one soul for whom Christ laid down His
life."—"Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing," pages
56, 57.
LESSON 4
April 20-26
Tr SOUL
OFC
QM'S
"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou
fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those
things be, which thou host provided?" Luke 12:19, 20.
For centuries the Christian view of man has been strongly influenced by the
writings of the Greek philosopher Plato. He suggested that man consists of two
parts: an immortal soul and a corrupt, mortal body. These two he saw as totally
different: the one eternal and good, the other evil, weak, and temporary. During
life on earth, claimed Plato, the soul has to reside in the body, as in a prison
from which it is liberated at death. He spoke of the body as "a source of endless
trouble" and believed that pure knowledge of anything could be had only when
the soul was released from the body.
In the Bible the body is called "a temple of the Holy Spirit." 1 Cor. 6:19, RSV.
It was created by God and does not encase a soul, but is itself the soul. Could
there be any greater contrast between the concept of the body as a prison of
the soul and the Biblical view of the body as a temple of God?
The way one views the body and the soul will determine how he looks at
death and consequently at spiritualism, at the importance of caring for the body
during life, and at the method and results of salvation by faith.
In this week's lesson we shall study the Biblical view of the soul and the
body.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
A Living Soul, Gen. 2:7
4. Soul and Spirit, 1 Cor. 15:45-49
2.
Soul and Life, Mark 10:45
5. Flesh and Blood, Matt. 16:16, 17
3.
Soul and Body, Matt. 10:28
6. What Is Man? Ps. 8:4, 6, 9
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
❑
Sunday
April 20
Part 1
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
A LIVING SOUL and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living soul." Gen. 2:7.
The Hebrew word
nephesh
is here translated "soul." It is
a key word for understanding the Biblical view of man. But
nephesh
has no less than 42 different meanings. It means the
life
of animals as well as of men; and it means animals as well
as persons. Over against the Greek notion that man
has a
soul, the Old Testament assures us that man
is
a soul.
Nephesh
means the whole person, not just a part of a person, as in
Greek thought. Hence, it can even be used interchangeably
with the word "flesh,"
basar.
What other usages of the term "soul" are there in the Old
Testament? 1 Sam. 30:6; 2 Kings 4:27; Isa. 26:8.
Though
nephesh
also refers to animals and other living
organisms, it basically refers to living human beings. The soul
(nephesh)
eats and drinks; it feels sadness, anger, grief, and
desire.
Nephesh
is also the Hebrew term for the person who thinks,
who wills, and who loves. See Prov. 19:2; Song of Solomon
1:7; 1 Sam. 18:1. It is man's individuality and personality. We
also read of the soul that thirsts for God (Ps. 42:2; 63:1), yearns
for Him (Isa. 26:9) and lives to praise Him (Ps. 119:175).
Nephesh,
therefore, stands for the whole person, and in many
cases can best be translated by "I," "me," "you," "we," or
"they."
What is the meaning of Jeremiah 6:8?
Soul
(nephesh)
in the Old Testament stands for life and
living organisms, for the person as a whole as well as for his
desires and emotions, feelings and appetites, religious long-
ings as well as anger, bitterness and frustration. The soul
thinks, wills, loves, and understands. The soul being the whole
man, can also die. The word can even be used for a corpse
(body), as in Num. 19:13 and Haggai 2:13. Rather than being
the opposite of flesh, soul includes the flesh.
THINK IT THROUGH
Compare the Greek view of man with that of the Old Testa-
ment.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire
of Ages,
pages 353, 466, 641.
Note
the use of
the word "soul" on these pages.
32
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
❑
Monday
April 21
Part 2
SOUL AND LIFE
"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45.
Compare Matt. 20:28.
The word here translated "life" is the Greek
psuche.
This
word is more often translated "soul." As it is used in the New
Testament it has the same meanings as the Hebrew word
nephesh
in the Old Testament. It stands for any living organism
(Rev. 16:3), for life itself as in Luke 12:22, 23, for the whole
person, and for personality as in Romans 13:1, the inward
man, his desires, emotions, mind, feelings, as in Mark 14:34.
But even if
psuche
refers to a particular aspect of man, it never
denotes a separable, intelligent part of man, as in Greek
philosophy.
Psuche
can often be translated by a personal pro-
noun such as "I," "myself," "you," "your life."
Study the meaning of "soul" in the parable of the rich
fool in Luke 12:16-23. Use a modern translation and compare
it with the KJV.
In the Revised Standard Version the parable is translated as
follows: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and
he thought to himself, 'What shall I do? . . . I will do this: I
will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I
will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul
[psuche],
Soul
[psuche],
you have ample goods laid up for
many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God
said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul
[psuche]
is required of
you.'
"And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you do not
be anxious about your life
[psuche],
what you shall eat, nor
about your body, what you shall put on. For life
[psuche]
is
more than food, and the body more than clothing.' "
What is the meaning of "soul" in the following texts?
James 5:20; 1 Peter 1:9; 4:19; Rev. 6:9 and 20:4.
It can be concluded that in the Bible the word "soul" means
the whole person, either alive or dead. As we have seen, the
Hebrews used the word
nephesh,
soul, also for "corpse."
The idea that "soul" can have a separate existence apart
from the body, or that it possesses an immortal essence, is
foreign to the Bible.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the message contained in the Biblical meaning of
man as a living soul?
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Gain That Is Loss," pages 256-259.
33
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
0 Tuesday
April 22
Part 3
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able
SOUL AND BODY
to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell." Matt. 10:28.
In the Bible usage of "body" and "soul" each means the
whole person. One is not superior to the other. In Hebrew
thought man is soul and man is body. When a man dies, the
Bible says that the soul has died, or the man died.
However, "soul" in both the Old and New Testaments often
refers in particular to a person's relationship to God, whereas
"flesh" emphasizes man as a creature, in contrast to God, who
is the Creator and the Life-giver. It is in this meaning that
Jesus' contemporaries understood His words. Don't fear those
who can harm you in your bodily existence, rob you of your
goods, or even kill you. That means nothing. For even death
cannot separate you from God. But you ought to fear God, on
whom your whole life depends. To be separated from Him—
that is, "losing your soul"—is the worst that can happen.
Therefore, watch out that you keep your soul—that is, your
relationship with God.
Interpret 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
The apostle Paul did not teach that man is composed of
three parts—body, soul, and spirit, but he spoke of three dif-
ferent ways in which a person relates to other persons. In the
Bible man is one indivisible whole. Terms such as "soul" or
"body" or "spirit" are not used to indicate separate parts of
a man. Each term refers to the whole man in a particular func-
tion. The soul emphasizes in particular man in his relationship
to God; the spirit refers to man understanding and communi-
cating with God, while the body denotes his relationship with
human beings as well as his whole earthly existence. To indi-
cate how thoroughly the God of peace sanctifies our lives, the
apostle Paul emphasizes, in good Hebrew fashion, that sanc-
tification should affect every aspect of life: not just our rela-
tionship to God (soul), but also our whole thinking, will, and
innermost feelings, (spirit), and our work and our relationships
with our fellowmen (body). Sanctification affects our whole
person and our whole life.
What does Luke 10:27 mean?
THINK IT THROUGH
How do soul and flesh relate to each other in the person
of Jesus?
34
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
❑
Wednesday
April 23
Part 4
SOUL AND
SPIRIT
"And so it is written, The first Adam was made a living
soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. . . . The
first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord
from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are
heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." 1 Cor.
15:45-49.
What is the meaning of the words "soul" and "spirit"
here? How do they relate to each other?
Adam was the first man created by God, and all men are
descended from him. The record indicates that Adam was made
from the dust of the ground (earthy), which may still be re-
flected in his name (possibly related to
adamah—Hebrew
for
"earth" or "ground"), though the origin of the name is not quite
clear yet. Paul referred to Genesis 2:7 when he wrote, "And
so it is written." The central statement of the Biblical view
of man is that Adam was made a "living soul." This "soul"
had no existence in itself but depended wholly on the life-
giving Spirit of God. In 1 Cor. 15:44 the word
psuchikos
(from
the word
psuche)
is used to describe the "natural body"—that
is, man in his earthly existence. Adam contrasts with Christ,
who is called "a life-giving Spirit." The first one had no life
in himself, whereas Christ is the life. From Him all life takes
its origin. The word "soul" here refers to the individual, the
whole person, in his earthly existence. Spirit is that life-giving
power that makes man a "living soul." All men receive their
earthly existence—as body, as soul, as person—through Adam.
At the resurrection, man will receive a new existence directly
from Christ.
What is the meaning of "the image of the heavenly" in
1 Cor. 15:49? See Phil. 3:20, 21.
Read and interpret John 4:23, 24.
The Spirit is the inexhaustible power of divine life from
which
all
life takes its origin. Through that Spirit all men live
and breathe and have their existence. Acts 17:25. Contrary to
a popular use of the term "spirit," in the Scriptures a spirit
is a person; he has a form and a bodily existence.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the meaning of Joel 2:28?
35
3-A0t--2-75
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
❑
Thursday
April 24
Part 5
FLESH AND
BLOOD
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven." Matt. 16:16, 17.
The term "flesh and blood" does not occur in the Old Testa-
ment. Yet its meaning lies anchored in the Hebrew concept of
flesh
(basar)
and not in the Greek view of flesh as being cor-
rupt, evil, and inferior to the soul or the spirit.
What is the meaning of "flesh and blood" in such New Tes-
tament passages as Matt. 16:17; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 6:12?
The Hebrew word for flesh
(basar)
means man as a creature.
He is mortal and weak. For his knowledge, his strength, and
his whole life he depends upon God, his Maker. "If he [God]
should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself
his breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would
return to dust." Job 34:14, 15, RSV. "All flesh is grass, and
all its beauty is like the flower of the field." Isa. 40:6, RSV.
Man has no way by himself to know about such things as the
origin of evil or that Jesus is the Son of God or what is best
in his life. It is foolishness to trust, therefore, on the judgment
of man, no matter how good he is, or to build on the strength
of mortal beings. Our only true source of knowledge is God;
it is not found in ordinary man—that is, unaided by the Spirit
of God.
What is the meaning of Leviticus 17:11?
"Seven times in the books of Moses the prohibition against
eating blood is repeated (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; 7:26, 27; 17:10;
Deut. 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23). The reason given is that blood
represents life; in fact, the blood is the life."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
on Lev. 17:11.
The word translated "life" in some of these texts is
nephesh,
the word often translated as "soul" in the Old Testament.
Compare the prohibition to eat the "blood with the flesh"
in the Old Testament with Jesus' words in John 6:53, 54.
Jesus' words must indeed have been hard to understand, if
not outright repulsive, to the Jews of His day. And even to the
non-Jews. What is the real meaning of the Lord's Supper?
THINK IT THROUGH
How do I know that Jesus is the Son of God, if this knowl-
edge has not come to me by "flesh and blood"—that is, from
other human beings?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 277, 278.
36
The Soul and God's Image
LESSON 4
❑
Friday
April
25
Part 6
WHAT IS MAN?
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son
of man, that thou visitest him?"
"Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of
thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet."
"0 Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the
earth!" Ps. 8:4, 6, 9.
What is man? The Bible speaks of him as the image of God.
From the study of the Person of Christ (Lesson 2) and by com-
paring scripture with scripture on the meaning of the image of
God (Lesson 1), it was found that the image of God stands for
these basic concepts:
1.
Man as a creature.
He is totally dependent upon God. He
lives and moves and thinks and acts only because God shares
with him His life. Without God's power, man does not exist; he
can do nothing. Looking at man, therefore, reminds us of his
Maker.
2.
Man as a social being.
His life's fulfillment lies in his
togetherness and solidarity with other people. The most inti-
mate relationship between people is the marriage relationship.
But the image of God in man is realized wherever he lives for
others. Jesus was never married. Yet in Him, whose life was
characterized by serving others, even unto death, the perfect
image of God is revealed.
3.
Man as ruler of the earth, called to have dominion over
God's creation.
Unlike the animal world, man is a cultural be-
ing. He builds, he invents, he creates his own environment and
makes his own life-style. In these creative activities, as builder,
inventor, and maker, man resembles the Creator, in whose
image he is made.
Soul, body and spirit.
It is clear that in the Scriptures the
term "image of God" refers not only to what man
has,
but also
to what he
is;
not only to his abilities or his attributes, but also
to his actions, his character, habitual responses, and relation-
ships. In order for man to communicate with God, respond to
His love, relate to other people, and exert dominion over the
earth, God has given man instruments, talents, or tools to do
so. Our faith comes through
hearing
(Rom. 10:14), and with
our
tongues
we sing the praises of our Lord and Father (James
3:7-9). Soul, body, and spirit are such instruments. By these
man realizes and fulfills his calling and destiny as the image
of God. In the Scriptures the essence of man lies in his three-
fold relationship: (1) to God, (2) to his fellowmen, and (3) to
the created world—not in three parts of man. What really
counts is what we do with our bodies, how we use our hands,
our intellect, and our speech—in short, whether we offer our-
selves as a living sacrifice, dedicated and fit for God's service,
and worship Him.
37
LESSON 5
April 27-May 3
SIN'S
BEGINNINGS
"Seek good, and not evil, that ye
may live: and so the Lord, the God of
hosts, shall be with you, as ye have
spoken. Hate the evil, and love the
good." Amos 5:14, 15.
What happened to the good order of
God's creation? We read that "God saw
every thing that he had made, and, be-
hold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31.
What later caused the whole world to
lie in evil?
Actually, there is no reasonable ex-
planation for it, for sin and evil are un-
reasonable in a world which God cre-
ated "very good." The Bible mentions
certain events, in heaven and on earth,
that point to the origins of evil. But the
Scriptures offer no explanation of why
evil should arise, nor how it could. We
know it is here. It affects the whole
created universe, and man in particular.
Since the Bible does not offer us an
explanation of why evil came into the
world, it seems futile to speculate on it
ourselves. All of the philosophies on the
origin of evil, from the fathers of the
early church to the religious writings of
Eastern sages to modern philosophers
are futile speculation. The Bible tells us
that "the whole world is in the power of
the evil one." 1 John 5:19, RSV. With
embarrassing honesty and clarity the
Scriptures point out where evil is, what
it is, and how it affects our relations to
our fellowmen, to the world, and to God.
The Bible shows us the effects of evil
and of sin; and, above all, it shows us
a way out of the misery, slavery, poverty,
and death it has wrought.
The Biblical message on man is a
message of liberation. It liberates us
from fear and frustration, from evil, and
from death. It gives us freedom of choice
and of fellowship; it makes us free to
love, to think, and to act, according to
God's own will and to the very high
calling that is our intended nature as
the image of God.
LESSON OUTLINE
L A War in Heaven, Rev. 12:7-9
2.
The Sin of Pride, Isa. 14:13, 14;
Ezek. 28:16, 17
3.
Sin and Grace, Ezek. 33:11
4.
Sin and Justice, Deut. 32:4
5.
Woe to the Earth, Rev. 12:12
6.
Christ and Satan, 1 John 3:8
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
❑
Sunday
April 27
Part 1
A WAR IN
HEAVEN
Read Revelation 12:7-9.
For man, born in iniquity and conceived in sin (Ps. 51:5) it
is difficult to imagine that at one time there was no evil in the
universe, no disruption of any kind, no destruction, no war, no
violence, no crime, and no sorrow. Yet the Bible says so.
What was the original state of man and the universe?
Gen. 1:31 through 2:9.
"Before the entrance of evil there was peace and joy
throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the
Creator's will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another
impartial."—The
Great Controversy,
page 493.
Was Satan created by God? Since God is the Creator of
everything, it has been suggested that God is also the origina-
tor of evil. This is an absurdity. Evil is not something that was
made or created. Evil is negative. It was not created by God
or willed by Him. Sin is a wrong attitude, a rejection of good,
a distortion of the relation between a creature and his Creator.
Through the symbolism of the king of Babylon and the
prince of Tyre, what do the following references say about
Satan's identity before he rebelled against God? Isa. 14:12;
Ezek. 28:12-15.
"There was no note of discord to mar the celestial har-
monies. But a change came over this happy state. There was
one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His
creatures. Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had
been most honored of God and was highest in power and glory
among the inhabitants of
heaven."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 35.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is sin ever reasonable?
"It is impossible to explain the origin of sin so as to give a
reason for its existence. Yet enough may be understood con-
cerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin to make
fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in His deal-
ings with evil. Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than
that God was in no wise responsible for the entrance of sin;
that there was no arbitrary withdrawal of divine grace, no defi-
ciency in the divine government, that gave occasion for the
uprising of rebellion. Sin is an intruder, for whose presence no
reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to ex-
cuse it is to defend it. Could excuse for it be found, or cause
be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin."—The
Great Controversy,
pages 492, 493.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 33-35.
40
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
❑
Monday
April
28
Part 2
THE SIN OF
PRIDE
What attitude was it that brought sin into the universe?
Isa. 14:13, 14; Ezek. 28:16, 17.
The Scripture says, "A man's pride will bring him low, but
he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor." Prov. 29:33, RSV.
Together with pride, the Bible mentions envy, unholy ambition,
jealousy and covetousness as sources of sin. These are all
aspects of the one negative attitude that brought ruin to the
universe.
Against which person of the Godhead in particular did
Lucifer rebel? Rev. 12:7-9.
"Coveting the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed
upon His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power which it
was the prerogative of Christ alone to wield."—The
Great Con-
troversy,
page 494.
"To dispute the supremacy of the Son of God, thus impeach-
ing the wisdom and love of the Creator, had become the pur-
pose of this prince of angels. To this object he was about to
bend the energies of that master mind, which, next to Christ's,
was first among the hosts of
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 36.
How did Lucifer's attitude affect other angels? 2 Peter
2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:4, 7, 8.
"Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father,
Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among
the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a
time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of rever-
ence for God. He began to insinuate doubts concerning the
laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that though
laws might be necessary for the inhabitants of the worlds,
angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their
own wisdom was a sufficient guide. .
"The spirit of dissatisfaction thus kindled was doing its
baleful
work."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 37, 38.
THINK IT THROUGH
Has pride also led me astray? How can I identify and
overcome it?
"Pride in his own glory nourished the desire for supremacy.
The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated
as the gift of God and called forth no gratitude to the Creator.
He gloried in his brightness and exaltation, and aspired to be
equal with God."—The
Great Controversy,
page 495.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 36-39.
41
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
Tuesday
April
29
Part 3
From God's attitude toward sinful men, what can we con-
SIN AND GRACE
clude was His attitude toward fallen Lucifer?
"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn
from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways;
for why will ye die?" Ezek. 33:11.
"In great mercy, according to His divine character, God
bore long with Lucifer....
"A compassionate Creator, in yearning pity for Lucifer and
his followers, was seeking to draw them back from the abyss
of ruin into which they were about to plunge. But His mercy
was misinterpreted. Lucifer pointed to the long-suffering of God
as an evidence of his own superiority. . . . Thus it was that
Lucifer, 'the light bearer,' the sharer of God's glory, the at-
tendant of His throne, by transgression became Satan, 'the
adversary' of God and holy beings and the destroyer of those
whom Heaven had committed to his guidance and guardian-
ship."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 39, 40.
Can God's grace be rejected? Isa. 30:12, 13; Luke 10:16;
Heb. 12:25.
God's grace can be resisted. It need not be effective. God
seeks to bring men into a relation of love and obedience with
Himself. Both of these presuppose the freedom to accept or
to reject God's love and authority.
What happened to Satan when he continued to reject the
grace of God? Isa. 14:12; Ezek. 28:16, 17; Luke 10:18.
"God could employ only such means as were consistent with
truth and righteousness. Satan could use what God could not
—flattery and deceit. He had sought to falsify the word of God
and had misrepresented His plan of government, claiming that
God was not just in imposing laws upon the angels; that in
requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He
was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself. It was therefore
necessary to demonstrate before the inhabitants of heaven, and
of all the worlds, that God's government is just, His law per-
fect."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 42.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do I stand in danger of rejecting the grace of God?
"We
urge this appeal upon you: you have received the grace
of God; do not let it go for nothing. God's own words are:
'In the hour of my favour I gave heed to you;
on the day of deliverance I came to your aid.'
The hour of favour has now come; now, I say, has the day
of deliverance dawned." 2 Cor. 6:1, 2, NEB.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 40-43.
42
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
❑
Wednesday
April 30
Part 4
Why did God not destroy Satan, thereby preventing him from
SIN AND
bringing ruin to the whole world? From
Patriarchs and Prophets,
JUSTICE
pages 41-43, four reasons may be gleaned:
1.
If God had destroyed the devil immediately, millions of
angels—and inhabitants of other worlds in the universe—would
never have known for sure whether or not the charges Satan
advanced against God had an element of truth in them. The
destruction of Satan might even have left the impression that
some of the charges—especially that God's law was unjust—
were true. It became necessary, therefore, for God to demon-
strate before the inhabitants of heaven and of all the worlds
that His government is just, His law perfect, and the principles
of love and obedience correct.
2.
Satan blamed God for the discord that he himself had
caused in heaven. All evil he declared to be the result of the
divine administration. He claimed that it was his own object to
improve upon the statutes of Jehovah. Therefore, God permit-
ted him to demonstrate the nature of his claims an6
,
:
show
;13
the working out of his proposed changes in the divine law. His
own work must condemn him. Satan had to be unmasked so
that the whole universe could see that he was a deceiver, a
rebel, a liar, and a murderer.
3.
If God had destroyed Satan immediately, many creatures,
not quite convinced of the justice of God, would have served
God from fear rather than from love. They would have honored
Him and obeyed Him, but not voluntarily so, not in freedom. The
influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed,
and the spirit of rebellion would have remained.
4.
Satan's rebellion was to be a perpetual lesson to the
universe of the nature and results of sin. The working out of
Satan's rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would
show what must be the fruit of setting aside divine authority.
It would testify that with the existence of God's government and
His law is bound up the well-being of all the creatures He has
made. Only in this way could God's love, righteousness, and
authority be vindicated before all His creatures, who would
delight in doing His will. Rebellion and sin would not arise a
second time. See Nahum
1:9.
THINK IT THROUGH
Am I convinced of God's love and righteousness? How
does this understanding affect my life?
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pages 496-504.
43
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
❑
Thursday
May
1
Part 5
WOE TO THE
EARTH
Where did Satan work havoc and ruin after he was ex-
pelled from heaven?
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the
devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because
he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev. 12:12.
Peter compares Satan to a "roaring lion" searching for food.
1 Peter 5:8. Vivid pictures of his work are found in Mark 5:2-13
and in Mark 9:17-27. He catches men in snares (2 Tim. 2:26),
puts evil thoughts in them (John 13:2; Acts 5:3) and blinds
and misguides them (2 Cor. 2:11; 4:4; 11:14).
Who assist the devil in his work on earth? Matt. 25:40, 41;
Acts 8:7; Rev. 16:14.
"Evil spirits, in the beginning created sinless, were equal
in nature, power, and glory with the holy beings that are now
God's messengers. But fallen through sin, they are leagued
together for the dishonor of God and the destruction of men.
United with Satan in his rebellion, and with him cast out from
heaven, they have, through all succeeding ages, co-operated
with him in his warfare against the divine authority."—The
Great Controversy,
page 513.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are these evil spirits real and still active today? Do I
recognize their work?
To many people, including many believers, the idea that
there are evil spirits at work today seems childish and un-
scientific. But does that prove their nonexistence? The Bible
consistently makes reference to them and with great force
warns us of them. The revival of spirit cults, Satanism, and
spiritism are strong evidences that there are realities for which
science has no answer. Trust in the Word of God is the safer
path.
Please consider this: "None are in greater danger from the
influence of evil spirits than those who . . . deny the existence
and agency of the devil and his angels. So long as we are
ignorant of their wiles, they have almost inconceivable ad-
vantage; many give heed to their suggestions while they sup-
pose themselves to be following the dictates of their own wis-
dom. This is why, as we approach the close of time, when
Satan is to work with greatest power to deceive and destroy,
he spreads everywhere the belief that he does not exist. It is
his policy to conceal himself and his manner of working."—
The Great Controversy,
page 516.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pages 511-517.
44
Sin's Beginnings
LESSON 5
❑
Friday
May
2
Part 6
CHRIST AND
SATAN
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the
devil." 1 John 3:8.
Jesus has been spoken of as "our example," a model of
what God intended all of us to be. But that concept, though
clearly Biblical, could also be misunderstood and misinter-
preted if we did not look carefully at the other roles of Jesus,
such as Divine Sacrifice, as the Substitute who died for our
sins, and as the Mighty God who has gained the victory over
the devil and his host.
What has been, and will be, the result to Satan of his
defeat by Jesus? John 12:31; Rev. 20:10. See also Gen. 3:15.
Some religions conceive of good and evil as two equal
powers. The Christian faith teaches that the devil has no power
of himself. God created him, and he has been under the control
of God from the beginning. The Christian faith and its mission
is based on the triumph of Christ over Satan. In this triumph
man may participate. It is this message that gives man hope
and courage, certainty and strength.
How was Christ's power over Satan manifested during His
earthly ministry? Matt. 8:16; Mark 1:34; Luke 11:15-20.
What assurance of triumph over the devil is given to every
child of God? Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 6:11; 1 John 5:18.
"Be submissive then to God. Stand up to the devil and he
will turn and run." James 4:7, NEB. A beautiful image of Christ's
victorious work for His children in resisting and triumphing over
the devil is found also in Zechariah 3:1, 2, RSV: "Then he
showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel
of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse
him. And the Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, 0
Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is
not this a brand plucked from the fire?' "
THINK IT THROUGH
What effect on me
and on my
life has the victory of Christ
over Satan?
"Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in
Christ is more than a match for the hosts of darkness, and
that, should he reveal himself openly, he would be met and
resisted."—The
Great Controversy,
page 530.
FURTHER STUDY
The
Great Controversy,
pages 518-530.
45
"More clearly than we do we need to understand
the issues at stake in the great conflict in which we
are engaged. We need to understand more fully the
value of the truths of the word of God and the danger
of allowing our minds to be diverted from them by the
great deceiver.
"The infinite value of the sacrifice required for our
redemption reveals the fact that sin is a tremendous
evil. Through sin the whole human organism is de-
ranged, the mind is perverted, the imagination cor-
rupted. Sin has degraded the faculties of the soul.
Temptations from without find an answering chord
within the heart, and the feet turn imperceptibly toward
evil.
"As the sacrifice in our behalf was complete, so our
restoration from the defilement of sin is to be corn-
plete."—The
Ministry of Healing,
page 451.
LESSON 6
May 4-10
"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commit-
teth sin is the servant of sin." John 8:34.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23.
Sin is tyrannical. It works destructively, and it spares no one. The whole
world and all of life experience its evil effects. It is a power that permeates our
thinking and our actions; it affects our relationships and our inmost feelings.
The results of sin abound everywhere. We are touching here on the cause of
crime and corruption, of aggression and anxiety, of fear and frustration, of sen-
suality and selfishness. Philosophies abound that seek the cause of this dis-
ruptive and destructive power in material things, such as property or wealth.
Some blame man's faulty thinking and lack of education, while others hold
law and regulations responsible for the havoc and ruin caused by this power.
All kinds of solutions have been suggested and tried to make an end to this
tyrannical power: giving wealth and power to the people; rigid mental training;
education; scientific and cultural discipline; transcendental meditation, et cetera.
But all the attempts have ended in the desperate cry, "0 wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" See Rom. 7:14-25.
The weaknesses of man in spite of his power and greatness, his irrational
•
behavior in spite of his education, his irresponsible conduct in spite of his high
calling, have boggled all thinking people everywhere. In the most pressing form
these questions defy logical answers: What is man? What makes him act and
think and behave the way he does? Science has no answer to these questions
and neither has philosophy. Even the religious and ethical systems of man offer
us no clue. It is in God's revelation only that man finds this knowledge about
himself. There, and there alone, do we find answers to the baffling paradox of
man's greatness and misery, of man's power and powerlessness. The two key
ideas here are: man, the image of God; and man, the sinner.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
Disobedience, Rom. 5:12-14
2.
Unbelief, Gen. 3:1
3.
To Be Equal With God, Gen. 3:4-6
4.
Selfishness, 2 Thess. 2:3, 4
5.
All Have Sinned, Rom. 5:12
6.
Griefs and Sorrows, 2 Cor. 5:21
Man, the Sinner
LESSON 6
❑
Sunday
May 4
Part 1
DISOBEDIENCE
"It was through one man that sin entered the world, and
through sin death, and thus death pervaded the whole human
race, inasmuch as all men have sinned. For sin was already
in the world before there was law, though in the absence of
law no reckoning is kept 'of sin. But death held sway from
Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned as
Adam did, by disobeying a direct command." Rom. 5:12-14,
NEB.
What "direct command" had God given to Adam, and
why? Gen. 2:16, 17.
Sin is lack of conformity to the will (law) of God, either as
an attitude, a state of mind, or an act. It is disobedience to
God's law. Why would man become disobedient? He was made
in the image of God. He was God's representative with full
power to rule the earth. Man knew that by disobeying God he
would lose it all, for God had made that abundantly clear to
him.
What prompted Adam to disobey God? Gen. 3:1-6.
Although Satan was the instigator and will bear his part in
the sin he caused Adam to commit, the man himself was re-
sponsible for his disobedience. He was absolutely free to
choose to obey or to disobey God.
What is the meaning of disobeying God's law? Rom. 2:23.
"The law of God is as sacred as God Himself. It is a revela-
tion of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression
of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends
upon the perfect conformity of all beings, of everything, ani-
mate and inanimate, to the law of the Creator. God has or-
dained laws for the government, not only of living beings, but
of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws,
which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature
is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the
earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work
of creation, God has given power to understand His require-
ments, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law,
and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obe-
dience is required."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
page 52.
THINK IT THROUGH
What aspects of God's character were particularly re-
vealed in God's command not to eat from the tree of knowl-
edge of good and evil?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 52, 53.
48
Man, the Sinner
LESSON 6
Monday
May 5
Part 2
UNBELIEF
"And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Gen. 3:1.
Disobedience began when our first parents no longer fully
trusted in the word of God. And sin arises everywhere, and
always, out of unbelief. It is the root of sin. See John 16:9.
What does the apostle Paul state is the relationship be-
tween sin and unbelief? Rom. 14:23.
The story of Adam's falling into sin is a repetition of the
beginnings of evil in heaven. Unbelief, then defiance of God's
word, and then attitudes of pride and jealousy, envy and selfish-
ness.
What is the means of salvation from sin? John 3:14-16;
Acts 16:31.
The relationship between unbelief and misery appears on
almost every page of the Scripture. Adam and Eve lost their
exalted status because of it. The people of God could not enter
the Promised Land because of their unbelief. Heb. 3:19. It is
when man gives up his full trust in God and in His word that
wars, aggression, crime, and corruption arise. On the other
hand, man's greatness, happiness, and salvation are restored
when he trusts God and believes His word. Let our prayer
therefore be, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mark
9:24. Yes, Lord, increase our faith.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the basis of our trust in God?
"Eve . . . disbelieved the words of God, and this was what
led to her fall. In the judgment men will not be condemned
because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they
did not believe the truth, because they neglected the oppor-
tunity of learning what is truth. Notwithstanding the sophistry
of Satan to the contrary, it is always disastrous to disobey
God."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 55.
"It was distrust of God's goodness, disbelief of His word,
and rejection of His authority, that made our first parents trans-
gressors, and that brought into the world a knowledge of evil.
It was this that opened the door to every species of falsehood
and error.
"Man lost all because he chose to listen to the deceiver
rather than to Him who is Truth, who alone has understand-
ing."—Education,
page 25.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 54-56.
49
Man, the Sinner
LESSON 6
❑
Tuesday
May 6
"The serpent said to the woman, 'You will not die. For God
knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and
you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desired to make
one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also
gave some to her husband, and he ate." Gen. 3:4-6, RSV.
The very essence of the nature of sin is the desire to be
independent from God. But man has no life in himself, yet the
"pot" revolted against his "potter" and wanted to be like Him
and independent of Him. He did not realize that he would thus
lose the very ground of his existence, even though God had
told him so. See Genesis 2:17.
The whole story of Adam's sin looks so foolish, so unrea-
sonable. And that is precisely what sin is. There is no reason
for it. The Bible speaks of "the mystery of lawlessness." See
2 Thess. 2:7, RSV. By dishonoring God, man lost his own self.
By wanting to be like God, man became nothing.
What terms does the Bible use to describe sin? 1 Sam.
12:14; Isa. 1:4; Jer. 11:8-10; Mal. 1:6.
What, in essence, is sin? Sin is a denial of God. It is exalt-
ing oneself above God (see Isa. 14:12-14), with the inevitable
result of a deep, deep fall. This is what the church, throughout
the ages, has meant by "the Fall," a term disliked by many
modern Christians, but a reality that is continuously experienced
by all men.
No matter what name one may give it—iniquity, rebellion,
transgression, or lawlessness—sin is, in essence, a failure to
recognize God as our Maker, that we live and exist only in
Him. It is a selfish attitude, since we do not glorify God, but
ourselves. It begins when we fail to take God at His word
(unbelief) and it leads to pride and covetousness, which are
the roots of all evil.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I overcome the temptations I have to sin?
"In what consisted the strength of the assault made upon
Adam, which caused his fall? It was no indwelling sin; for God
made Adam after His own character, pure and upright. There
were no corrupt principles in the first Adam, no corrupt pro-
pensities or tendencies to evil. Adam was as faultless as the
angels before God's throne. These things are unexplainable,
but many things which now we cannot understand will be made
plain when we shall see as we are seen, and know as we are
known."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 1, p. 1083.
Part 3
TO BE EQUAL
WITH GOD
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
page 154;
Testimonies,
Vol. 4, pp. 384, 385.
50
Man, the Sinner
LESSON 6
❑
Wednesday
May 7
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
not come, except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth
and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.
The leader of apostasy, the "man of sin," described by Paul,
is the embodiment of the principles that are at the root of sin
in every human being. He exalts himself above God; he acts
as if he were God. Disobedience, unbelief, and the unholy am-
bition to be equal with God find their center in
selfishness.
Sin
is a rejection of God, His love and His law; it is essentially a
preference of self over and against God. Instead of making
God the center of his life, the sinner makes himself the center;
instead of giving glory to God and worshipping Him, the sinner
glories in himself and seeks his own interests.
Compare the sin of Lucifer with that of Adam and Eve.
Whom had they made the center of their life and ambition?
Isa. 14:13, 14; Gen. 3:1-7.
"Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the
command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon
them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible
struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to
wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be
separated from her whose society had been his joy. How could
he have it thus? . . . Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator—
s!l were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself,
and he could not endure the thought of separation. . . . He
resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with
her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise
serpent be true? . . . He seized the fruit and quickly ate."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 56, 57.
THINK IT THROUGH
Who comes really first in my life? See "Gospel Workers,"
page 114.
"Is there someone among you who is wise and understand-
ing? He is to prove it by his good life, by his good deeds per-
formed with humility and wisdom. But if in your heart you are
jealous, bitter, and selfish, then you must not be proud and
tell lies against the truth. This kind of wisdom does not come
down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and
demonic. Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil." "As the scripture says, 'God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' So then, sub-
mit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from
you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you." James
3:13-16; 4:6-8, TEV.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 57-62.
Part 4
SELFISHNESS
Man, the Sinner
LESSON 6
0
Friday
May
9
Part 6
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no
GRIEFS AND
sin." 2 Cor. 5:21.
SORROWS
Read also Isa. 53:2-4.
What sin really is—and its effects—we learn only by contem-
plating the life of Jesus who had no sin in himself, but who
was made sin "for us."
From the statements about Christ, the sinless One, what
striking difference do you see between Him and Adam, the
sinful man? Phil. 2:6-8.
Christ was equal with God, yet He did not grasp at equality
with God. Adam, who was man and only an image of God, by
eating the forbidden fruit sought to be equal with God.
Christ made Himself nothing. He humbled Himself, so much
so that He could not do anything out of Himself. He made Him-
self an obedient slave. He, who is the Author of life, the Holy
One of Israel, humbled Himself to die as a criminal. Adam
wanted to live forever, and found death. Christ, who has life
in Himself, gave up His life so that we need not die. Is greater
love possible, greater unselfishness?
What striking contrasts are there between Adam's tempta-
tion and Christ's? Gen. 3:1-7; Matt. 4:1-11.
"The mildest test was given them [Adam and Eve] that could
be given; for there was no need of their eating of the forbidden
tree; everything that their wants required had been provided."
—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 1, p.
1083.
"Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted
humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand
years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results
of the working of the great law of heredity."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 49. See also page 120.
How did Christ overcome the temptation, thereby leaving
us an example? Matt. 4:4, 7, 10.
THINK IT THROUGH
Consider the griefs and the sorrows Jesus had to bear.
What do they tell us concerning the nature of sin?
"The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense
of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life. . . .
"From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, '0 My Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from Me.' Yet even now He adds,
'Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.'
"—The Desire of
Ages,
page 687.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 685-693.
53
R. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS
LESSON 7
May 11-17
"The Lord God said, Behold, the man is be-
come as one of us, to know good and evil: and
now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also
of the tree of life and eat, and live for ever:
therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden. . . . So he drove out the man;
and he placed at the east of the garden of
Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which
turned every way to keep the way of the tree
of life." Gen. 3:22-24.
As Lucifer was cast out of heaven, so man,
after he had sinned, was driven out of the gar-
den. Lucifer became Satan. He was no longer
the bright morning star. But what happened to
man? When God drove him out of the garden,
was the image of God in him totally destroyed
and obliterated? Or was it merely tainted or
marred, while the image itself remained essen-
tially unaltered?
This question is one of the issues most ac-
tively debated in the history of the Christian
church. As a result of the Fall, man became
alienated from God, and Adam's descendants
inherited a bent toward evil. The Scriptures testify
that each person has a sinful nature. In Adam,
therefore, all men die. See Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor.
15:22. On the other hand, through the substi-
tutionary death of Christ all men can receive
eternal life and become new creatures. Through
Christ's redemptive work all men can be deliv-
ered from sin and from its consequences. 1 John
2:2. Nobody will be lost because of Adam's sin,
for in Christ all men can be saved. If a person
is lost, it is because of his own choice. This
Scriptural position presupposes, of course, the
view that Adam's sin did not totally destroy or
obliterate the image of God in man. It was marred.
In the next three lessons we will study what
effect sin has had on the three relationships—
body, soul, and spirit—that make up the image
of God, and the provisions that God has made
for the restoration of each.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
A Restored Relationship, Gen. 3:8
2.
Barrier Removed, Isa. 59:2
3.
The Center of Life, Ex. 20:3-5
4.
Man's Foolishness, Ps. 53:1-3
5.
The Sabbath, 2 Tim. 3:5
6.
Reshaping Man, Ps. 51:5; 58:3
Man and God
LESSON 7
Sunday
May 11
Part 1
A RESTORED
RELATIONSHIP
After they had sinned, how did Adam and Eve react to the
presence of God?
"And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden." Gen. 3:8.
"In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him
'in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.'
Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy
in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God.
Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in
harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him.
The sinner could not be happy in God's presence; he would
shrink from the companionship of holy beings."—Steps
to
Christ,
page 17.
Has sin, then, brought an end to God's relationship with
man? Gen. 3:9; John 3:16, 17.
Immediately after Adam had sinned, God came to him and
called out, "Adam, where are you?" God did not reject Adam
or leave him in the hands of Satan. No! The tragedy of sin is
that man broke off his relationship with God. The glory of grace
is that God sought to reinstate the relationship. The image of
God was not destroyed, but it was marred and nearly obliter-
ated.
What would happen if the relationship between God and
man would end? The answer is found at the cross in the agony
and the death of Christ our Lord. He suffered what Adam would
have suffered—and all of us—if God, in His mercy and good-
ness had not maintained His connection with man. "Behold
Him in the wilderness, in Gethsemane, upon the cross! The
spotless son of God took upon Himself the burden of sin. He
who had been one with God, felt in His soul the awful separa-
tion that sin makes between God and man. This wrung from
His lips the anguished cry, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou
forsaken me?'
"—Steps to Christ,
page 13.
THINK IT THROUGH
In which way is my relationship with God still broken?
"It was Satan's purpose to bring about an eternal separation
between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely
united to God than if we had never fallen."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 25.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"God's Love for Man," pages 9-12.
56
Man and God
LESSON 7
❑
Monday
May
12
Part 2
What caused the separation of Judah from God? of us
BARRIER
from God?
REMOVED
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will
not hear." Isa. 59:2.
Sin caused the marring of the image of God in man. "All
have sinned," says the apostle Paul, "and come short of the
glory of God." Rom. 3:23. The image is broken. Man no longer
reflects the glory of his Maker. This is a universal condition in
man, which he inherited from Adam. This condition keeps man
enslaved in a state of mind that prevents him from doing right.
See Rom. 6:17, 20; 7:14, 17, 20.
Is it necessary for man to continue in his broken relation-
ship with God? Rom. 5:18-21; 6:13-18; Eph. 2:12-22; 1 John
3:1-9.
"Reconciliation means that every barrier between the soul
and God is removed, and that the sinner realizes what the par-
doning love of God
means."—Selected Messages,
Bk. 1, p. 396.
"In the apostasy, man alienated himself from God; earth
was cut off from heaven. Across the gulf that lay between, there
could be no communion. But through Christ, earth is again
linked with heaven. With His own merits, Christ has bridged
the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels
can hold communion with
man."—Steps to Christ,
page 20.
"Through Christ, restoration as well as reconciliation is pro-
vided for man. The gulf that was made by sin has been spanned
by the cross of Calvary. . . . Through the merit of Christ, com-
munication has been opened between God and
man."—Se-
lected Messages,
Bk. 1, p. 363.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is
it possible for me to have an unbroken relationship
with God?
"Shall we not regard the mercy of God? What more could
He do? Let us place ourselves in right relation to Him who
has loved us with amazing love. Let us avail ourselves of the
means provided for us that we may be transformed into His
likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering
angels, to harmony and communion with the Father and the
Son."—Steps
to Christ,
page 22.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ, "God's Love for Man,"
pages 13-15.
57
Man and God
LESSON 7
❑
Tuesday
May 13
Part 3
What obvious evidence is there of the broken relationship
THE CENTER
between man and God?
OF LIFE
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt
not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any thing. . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them." Exodus 20:3-5.
When God made man in His own image, He made Himself
the very center of man's life and thought and action. As soon
as the relationship with God was broken, man thereby lost the
center of his life, his very point of orientation for which and
by which he existed. Social scientists have called man an
"animal thrown off balance," precisely because, somehow, he
has lost his center. Modern science has tried to help man by
identifying his problem, but it has been unable to point out
what the center of man's life should be.
What has become the center of man's life throughout the
ages? Rom. 1:21-25. See also Isa. 44:9-22; Acts 17:22-29.
The impairment of the image of God in man is most evident
in man's religions. Man's religions are attempts to restore his
relationship with God. But all of man's attempts have been
futile. The first recorded attempts after the Flood resulted in
Noah's descendants building a city and a tower contrary to
God's instructions. Ever since that time men have worshipped
gods of their own making. Today about 80 percent of the
whole world population is non-Christian, and even among
Christians there are all too few who have a right relationship
with God. Indeed, the image of God is badly marred.
Was it necessary for men to be without a knowledge of
God? Rom. 1:19, 20; Acts 14:15-17.
The religions of man include clear evidences of the power
and the will of God, the Father of Jesus Christ. Yet the "broken-
ness of the revelation" is in itself a sign of the brokenness in
the relationship between man and God.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are there still "other gods" in my life?
"God is the great center. From Him all life proceeds. To
Him all service, homage, and allegiance belong. For all created
beings there is the one great principle of life—dependence
upon and co-operation with God. . . . When Adam sinned, man
broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became
the central power in the world. Where God's throne should
have been, Satan had placed his throne. The world laid its
homage, as a willing offering, at the feet of the
enemy."—Tes-
timonies,
Vol. 6, p. 236.
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pages 296, 297.
58
Man and Gad
LESSON 7
❑
Wednesday
May 14
Part 4
MAN'S
FOOLISHNESS
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt
are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none
that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the
children of men, to see if there were any that did understand,
that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are
altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no,
not one." Ps. 53:1-3.
See also Ps. 14:1-3.
In the denial that God exists, or in the declaration that He
is dead, the brokenness in the relationship between man and
God is the most ,evident. Whereas man in other religions still
recognizes the existence of some power greater than himself,
the atheist and the secular man deny the very existence of such
a power. Adam and Eve were ashamed to meet God; modern
man cannot even recognize the reality of God.
What terms does Paul use to describe the condition of the
man whose relationship with God is severed? Rom. 8:6, 7;
Eph. 4:18; 2:11, 12.
Man has become so estranged from God that though he may
be rich in material goods, rich in knowledge, and rich in many
other ways, yet he doesn't know how poor, naked, and blind
he is. The Bible describes this condition of utter brokenness
in the relationship between man and God as
foolishness.
Man,
the image of God, has become a fool. See Rom. 1:18-22; 1 Cor.
3:19.
THINK IT THROUGH
Since man is blind to his own true condition, how can he
become aware of it? Since he is foolish, how can he become
wise?
"The most difficult and humiliating lesson that man has to
learn is his own inefficiency in depending upon human wisdom.
... Sin has obscured his vision... .
"In its human wisdom the world cannot know God. Its wise
men gather an imperfect knowledge of God from His created
works, and then in their foolishness they exalt nature and the
laws of nature above nature's God. .
"It is impossible to gain a perfect knowledge of God from
nature alone; for nature itself is imperfect.... But Christ came
as a personal Saviour to the world. He represented a personal
God."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 6, p. 1068.
"When sinners are compelled to look upon Him who clothed
His divinity with humanity, . . . the scales fall from their eyes,
and they see that which before they would not see."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 6, p. 1069.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Consecration," page 43.
59
Man and God
LESSON 7
❑
Thursday
May15
Part 5
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
THE SABBATH
thereof: from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:5.
The most serious manifestation of the broken relationship
with God is seen in those believers who have a form of godli-
ness, but who deny the power thereof; in those who claim to
serve God, but who in fact have substituted a system of their
own making for the true religion.
In what ways has the true worship of God been counter-
feited? Dan. 7:25. See also Revelation 13.
"It
is Satan's
constant effort to misrepresent the character
of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the
great controversy."—The
Great Controversy,
page 569.
"From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven
it has been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law of God. . . .
To deceive men, and thus lead them to transgress God's law,
is the object which he has steadfastly pursued... .
"In seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes, Satan
has perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and errors have thus
become incorporated into the faith of thousands who profess
to believe the Scriptures."—The
Great Controversy,
page 582.
Satan has in particular sought to destroy the Sabbath
commandment. Why? The Sabbath is God's seal on His own
image. Break it, and the image of God is broken. Throughout
the history of God's people there has always been a close rela-
tionship between Sabbath-breaking and the breaking of the
relationship between man and God. And, vice versa, God's work
of restoring the image of God in man goes hand in hand with
the restoration of the Sabbath as the day of the Lord.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is
my Sabbath-keeping a help in restoring the image of
God in me?
"The great message, combining the first, second, and third
angels' messages, is to be given to the world. This is to be the
burden of our work. Those who truly believe in Christ will
openly conform to the law of Jehovah. The Sabbath is the sign
between God and His people; and we are to make visible our
conformity to the law of God by observing the Sabbath. It is
to be the mark of distinction between God's chosen people and
the world."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
Vol. 7, p. 949.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
Vol. 2, pp. 582-585.
60
Man and God
LESSON 7
❑
Friday
May 16
Part 6
RESHAPING MAN
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me." Ps. 51:5.
"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray
as soon as they be born, speaking lies." Ps. 58:3.
One way in which the broken relationship between Adam
and God becomes ours is by social inheritance. Our whole
environment, culture, and society, from our earliest childhood
on, predisposes us toward unbelief, selfishness, pride, inordi-
nate desire, unholy ambitions, disobedience. It is because our
whole world is in rebellion against God that each individual
born in that world is shaped by its unbelief and revolt. "Who
can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." Job 14:4.
The whole human race lies under the curse of sin; it is polluted,
and it passes its pollution on to each newborn child. "Because
of sin his [Adam's] posterity was born with inherent propen-
sities of disobedience."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 5, p. 1128. .
How does the Bible describe the sinful condition of the
human race? Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-18; Eph. 2:1-3.
"The fall did not create in man new faculties, energies, and
passions; for this would have been a reflection upon God. It
was through disobedience to God's requirements that these
powers were perverted; the affections were misplaced, and
turned from the high and holy purpose to a lower aim and to
meet a lower standard. . . . Originally man's affections were
in perfect obedience to God's will; but they have been per-
verted, misused, and degenerated by disobedience."—Ellen
G. White,
Review and Herald,
March 1, 1887.
What has been God's attitude toward fallen man? Gen.
3:9; John 3:16, 17.
" 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten
Son.' He gave him not only to live among men, to bear their
sins, and die their sacrifice. He gave Him to the fallen race.
. . . And all this that man might be uplifted from the ruin and
degradation of sin that he might reflect the love of God, and
share the joy of holiness."—Steps
to Christ,
page 14.
THINK IT THROUGH
Meditate on the love of God for fallen man.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
Vol. 8, pp. 208-210.
61
LESSON 8
May 18-24
Man and his fellowman
"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."
Gen. 3:7.
The immediate result of man's changed relationship to God was that man's
relationship to his fellowmen also became distorted, because man's relationship
to his fellowmen rests on his relationship to God. If the latter becomes dis-
torted, man's relationship with other people becomes distorted too. Love to the
neighbor is not an addition to man's love to God; it is part of it. "Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself." Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39. The restoration of the
image of God in man, therefore, consists of both a restoration of an individual's
relationship with God and the restoration of man's relationship with his fellow-
men.
The distorted relationship with God immediately caused a break in the unity
between Adam and Eve. They felt shame for each other, a clear evidence of the
estrangement of the man from his wife. And when God held the man accountable
for his disobedience, Adam responded irresponsibly, "The woman whom thou
gayest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Gen. 3:12, RSV.
The union between husband and wife was broken. See Gen. 2:23-25.
Already in Adam's son, Cain, the brokenness of the relationship between man
and fellowman, brothers at that, shows itself in its most revolting forms: envy,
jealousy, aggression, violence, murder. And when God called Cain and asked
him where his brother was, Cain answered, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Gen.
4:9. This response betrays the utterly irresponsible attitude of the sinner, who,
because of his lack of love for God, is therefore indifferent toward his own fel-
lowman and brother. It is only because of God's mercy that not every person
is at the throat of every other. In His grace God has restrained men, from the
moment that He promised Cain His care and protection (Gen. 4:13-15), until this
very moment. He tells the four angels stationed at the four corners of the earth
to hold back the four winds. Rev. 7:1-3. But woe unto man when God permits
the angels to "cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion." Then
"all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in
ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old."—The
Great
Controversy,
page 614.
Without the mercy of God's restraining power all men would soon be in the
hands of the prince of this world. Praise God that He has not withdrawn His
Spirit from this earth yet so that even sinful men, through love and affection,
still know how to give good gifts to their children (Matt. 7:11) and show kindness
to their fellowmen. As a result of God's Spirit in man the image of God, re-
flected in man's relationship with his fellowmen, was not totally obliterated but
was greatly distorted.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Marriage Union, Eph. 5:31-33
2.
Antidote for Loneliness, Gen. 2:18
3.
Bridging the Generation Gap, Eph. 6:1, 4
4.
Who Is My Neighbor? Luke 10:27, 28
5.
The Rich and the Poor, Luke 1:53
6.
The Enemy, Matt. 5:43, 44
Man and His Fellowman
LESSON 8
❑
Sunday
May 18
Part 1
THE MARRIAGE
UNION
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one
flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ
and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particu-
lar so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that
she reverence her husband." Eph. 5:31-33.
The union between husband and wife, expressed in the
words "one flesh," is a reflection of the union between man
and his Creator. When man fell into sin, it immediately strained
the relationship between the man and his wife, for Adam sought
to justify himself by placing blame on Eve. The relationship
between God and man and that between husband and wife are
closely linked together, and the Bible compares the harmonious
relationship between man and God with a marriage (Isa. 54:5;
62:4, 5; Eph. 5:23, 27) and the broken relationship with adul-
tery.
What act is an indication of a broken relationship between
husband and wife? Matt. 5:32; Ex. 20:14.
Marriage is a socially approved (legal) sexual and economic
union of a man and a woman which includes rights and obli-
gations between spouses and between spouses and their (fu-
ture) children. Jesus insists that it has been God's plan from
the beginning that such a union be permanent. Matt. 19:8, 9;
5:31, 32.
Does the New Testament ever permit divorce? Matt. 5:31,
32; 19:3-9; 1 Cor. 7:10-12.
Jesus declared that the provision for divorce made in the
law of Moses was introduced because of the hardness of the
people's hearts, a reference to man's estrangement from God.
The law of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 was never intended to be an
ideal rule, and Jesus rejected it. From the beginning marriage
was intended to be a permanent union, because it is an image,
a reflection, of the union between man and God. "For I hate
divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel." Mal. 2:16, RSV.
"Men and women, at the beginning of married life, should
reconsecrate themselves to God.
"Be as true as steel to your marriage vows, refusing, in
thought, word, or deed, to spoil your record as a man who
fears God and obeys His commandments."—The
Adventist
Home,
pages 103, 104.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why will there be no marriage in the new earth? See
Matt. 22:30.
FURTHER STUDY
The Adventist Home,
pages 105, 106, 340, 341.
64
Man and His Fellowman
LESSON 8
❑
Monday
May /9
Part 2
ANTIDOTE
FOR LONELINESS
"It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make
him an help meet for him." Gen. 2:18.
Marriage is essential to human life and existence. Not only
has the continuation of the human species been dependent on
it (see Gen. 1:28), but children can grow up into normal social
and cultural beings only if they are nurtured and trained in the
setting of marriage and the family.
To what does Paul compare marriage? Eph. 5:22-33.
As the rituals of the earthly sanctuary were a shadow, a
copy of the heavenly, so the marriage relationship is a shadow
of the relationship between God and man. The full ideal is
seen in God's love for His church and is to be reflected in the
brotherhood of its members.
But marriage is not an absolute, for it is not the only form
in which man can fulfill his high calling in the image of God.
Jesus did not marry. He was, indeed, the image of God in
reality. Not only did He live in perfect union with God; in Him
also was man's partnership with his fellowmen completely
realized. He lived for others.
How is the Christian to relate to his fellowman? John
13:34, 35; 1 John 2:6-11; 4:11-21.
"The kind of religion which is without stain or fault in the
sight of God our Father is this: to go to the help of orphans
and widows in their distress and keep oneself untarnished by
the world." James 1:27, NEB. Loneliness is a sign of the im-
pairment of the image of God in man. We are made for each
other; anything that detracts from fulfilling our calling to help
each other, care for each other, live for each other, is con-
tinuing the impairment of the image of God.
THINK IT THROUGH
What lonely people can I help?
"The pure religion of Jesus is the fountain from which flow
streams of charity, love, self-sacrifice.
"A Christian is a Christlike man, a Christlike woman, who
is active in God's service, who is present at the social meeting,
whose presence will encourage others also."—Ellen G. White
Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 7, p. 935.
FURTHER STUDY
The Adventist Home,
pages 167-171.
65
Man and His Fellowman
LESSON 8
ID Tuesday
May 20
Part 3
BRIDGING THE
GENERATION GAP
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is
right." "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath:
but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord." Eph. 6:1, 4.
The disobedience shown by man toward God is reflected in
the disobedience of human beings toward the truth (Rom. 2:8),
the gospel (1 Peter 4:17), and the law and authorities. Through
their upbringing in an "environment of disobedience," family,
culture, society, et cetera, children show the same tendencies
as their ancestors. Disobedience in children is a trait that is
passed on from the sinful generations of the past.
In what way can disobedience be overcome? Col. 3:15-21;
Prov. 22:6.
"Parents have a great work to do in the matter of correcting
and training their children, and in bringing them to God and
claiming His blessing upon
them."—Counsels to Teachers,
page 118.
"God's method of government is an example of how children
are to be trained. There is no oppression in the Lord's service,
and there is to be no oppression in the home or in the school.
Yet neither parents nor teachers should allow disregard of
their word to pass unnoticed. Should they neglect to correct
the children for doing wrong, God will hold them accountable
for their neglect. But let them be sparing of censure. Let kind-
ness be the law of the home and of the
school."—Counsels
to Teachers,
page 155.
What example did Jesus leave us as a young child? Luke
2:51.
The parents of Jesus were poor and dependent upon their
daily toil. He was familiar with poverty, self-denial, and priva-
tion. This experience was a safeguard to Him. "Jesus was
placed where His character would be tested. It was necessary
for Him to be constantly on guard in order to preserve His
purity. He was subject to all the conflicts which we have to
meet, that He might be an example to us in childhood, youth,
and manhood."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 71.
THINK IT THROUGH
What can I do to heal the generation gap?
"Jesus is our example. There are many who dwell with in-
terest upon the period of His public ministry, while they pass
unnoticed the teaching of His early years. But it is in His home
life that lie is the pattern for all children and youth."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
page 74.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 72-74.
66
Man and His Fellowman
LESSON 8
❑
Thursday
May 22
Part 5
THE RICH AND
THE POOR
"He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich
he hath sent empty away." Luke 1:53.
What special problem do rich people have in their relation
to God? Luke 18:18-27; Jer. 9:23, 24.
Riches tend to make a person independent from God and
to isolate him from his fellowmen. That is why the apostle Paul
instructs: "As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be
haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God
who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy." 1 Tim. 6:17,
RSV.
In what ways can riches cause a rift between people?
Luke 16:19-21; Prov. 18:23; 28:11.
It is not the riches, in money only that prevent the fellow-
ship and the brotherhood of men to become a reality. The same
counsel the Bible gives to the wealthy also applies to those
who are rich in education, in wisdom, and even in truth. Riches
in truth have given rise to an attitude of pride, arrogance, self-
reliance, and lack of concern for others, as is evident from
the history of the nation of Israel, and as the warning of Jesus
to the Laodicean church indicates. See Rev. 3:17-22.
In what ways do the conditions described in James 5:1.6
exist in our day?
What example has Christ given us to heal the break be-
tween the rich and the poor? 2 Cor. 8:9. See also Isa. 58:6-8.
"To the rich, God has given wealth that they may relieve
and comfort His suffering children; but too often they are in-
different to the wants of others. They feel themselves superior
to their poor brethren. . . . In costly dwellings and splendid
churches, the rich shut themselves away from the poor; the
means that God has given to bless the needy is spent in pam-
pering pride and selfishness. The poor are robbed daily of the
education they should have concerning the tender mercies of
God. . . . They are compelled to feel the poverty that narrows
life, and are often tempted to become envious, jealous, and
full of evil surmisings."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 639.
THINK IT THROUGH
Can the split between the rich and the poor also occur
in the church? If so, what can be done about it?
FURTHER STUDY
.
The Desire of Ages,
pages 637-641.
68
Man and His Fellowman
LESSON 8
❑
Friday
May 23
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you." Matt. 5:43, 44.
The reason Jesus gave (vs. 45) for believers to relate in
love to the enemy and the persecutor is that the believers will
thus be children of God, for He relates to the whole world in
impartial love.
Jesus warned the disciples in Matthew 10:34 and John 16:2
that their adherence to His principles would bring upon them
the wrath of the world. But the Christian is to relate in love
even to the persecutor and is to pray for him.
Jesus rejected, and requires His followers to reject, the
principle of reciprocity. This principle is expressed in loving
only those who love you, and greeting only your "brethren."
Matt. 5:46, 47. By contrast the love that Jesus recommends
reaches out to all people regardless of whether they love you
and treat you well or not.
How are the experiences recorded in Matthew 26:49 and
Luke 23:32-34 related to the principles of Matthew 5:43, 44?
WVIe the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus
prayed for His enemies, 'Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do.' His mind passed from His own suffering to
the sin of His persecutors, and the terrible retribution that
would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers
who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked
upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accom-
plishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance
and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 744.
"Every true Christian will develop in his life the character-
istics of this divine love; he will reveal a spirit of forbearance,
of beneficence, and a freedom from envy and jealousy. This
character developed in word and act will not repulse, and will
not be unapproachable, cold, and indifferent to the interests
of others. The person who cultivates the precious plant of love
will be self-denying in spirit, and will not yield self-control even
under provocation. He will not impute wrong motives and evil
intentions to others, but will feel deeply over sin when dis-
covered in any of the disciples of
Christ."—Testimonies,
Vol. 5, p. 123.
THINK IT THROUGH
What enemies have I to whom I have not related in Christ-
like love?
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Who Is My Neighbor?" pages
384, 385.
69
Part 6
THE ENEMY
"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened
unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of
which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:
cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat
of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it
bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return
unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3:17-19.
As a result of man's broken relationship with God not only
was the harmony between husband and wife, between man
and his fellowman, broken, but also a whole new relationship
between man and the rest of God's creation came about. The
distortion is clearly reflected in the words of Genesis 3:17-19.
The ground, with its thorns and its thistles, became an enemy
of man. And so did the animals. Because of sin, man's rela-
tionship with nature became a struggle, and his fight to use
and control nature turned into a goal in itself, instead of a
means to serve God. The curse that came upon man as a
result of his disobedience was not that a new natural scene
came into existence, but rather that the relationship between
man and nature became thoroughly distorted. This distortion
brought about very serious damage to our whole human con-
dition. When man lost his holiness, he thereby also lost his
wholeness, the perfect harmony and oneness of soul, body,
and spirit. He became a disintegrated being, with the body
often controlling the whole person. The apostle Paul charac-
terized this distortion in man by his frequent use of the term
"carnal"; that is, the power of sin in man's life, thought,
actions, and personality. Carnal does not mean that the
body, the flesh, as such, is evil. It means that the whole man
is under the influence of sin as reflected in the fact of man's
disintegration, and in his lack of power to do the right thing
even when he wants to. Rom. 7:14-25. This is a loss of free-
dom. Not only is he no longer free to implement what he
would like to do, but unaided he has even lost his freedom
to choose the right, because of the power of wrong. The
whole history of man is a history of suppressed freedoms:
social, economic, moral, political, and religious freedom.
And though it seems that mankind has come a long way with
the abolition of slavery and the legal recognition of human
freedoms, it is not until a person's relationship with God has
been restored that there can be real freedom. It is only
where the Spirit of the Lord is that there is freedom. 2 Cor.
3:17.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
God of Nature, Ezek. 8:16
2.
Abuse and Use of Power, Gen. 4:23, 24
3.
Sin and Health, Num. 12:1-10
4.
The Heart, Jer. 17:9, Eccl. 9:3
5.
Freedom, John 8:34, 35
6.
Made of Dust, 1 Cor. 15:48,49
~'
Man and Nature
LESSON 9
❑
Tuesday
May 27
Part 3
What frightful example illustrates how closely man's hor-
SIN AND HEALTH
rible state of disease is related to his failure to obey God
and give glory to Him? Num. 12:1-10.
"This manifestation of the Lord's displeasure was designed
to be a warning to all Israel. . . . If Miriam's envy and dis-
satisfaction had not been signally rebuked, it would have re-
sulted in great evil. Envy is one of the most satanic traits that
can exist in the human heart, and it is one of the most baleful
in its effects....
"The judgment visited upon Miriam should be a rebuke to
all who yield to jealousy, and murmur against those upon whom
God lays the burden of His
work."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 385, 386.
"Satan is the originator of disease....
"There is a divinely appointed connection between sin and
disease. . . . Sin and disease bear to each other the relation-
ship of cause and effect."—Counsels
on Health,
pages 324, 325.
"All sickness is the result of transgression. Many are suffer-
ing in consequence of the transgression of their parents. . .
But it is nevertheless their duty to ascertain wherein their
parents violated the laws of their being, which has entailed
upon their offspring so miserable an inheritance; and wherein
their parents' habits were wrong, they should change their
course, and place themselves by correct habits in a better
relation to health."—Counsels
on Health,
page 37.
How may illness be affected by faith, or lack of faith, in
God? James 5:15; 1 Cor. 11:29, 30.
"Sin has brought many . . . where they are—to a state of
feebleness of mind and debility of body. Shall prayer be offered
to the God of heaven for His healing to come upon them then
and there, without specifying any conditions? I say, No, de-
cidedly no....
"Examination should be made as to whether those who
would be blessed with health have indulged in evilspeaking,
alienation, and dissension. Have they sowed discord among
the brethren and sisters of the church? If these things have
been committed they should be confessed before God and the
church. When wrongs have been confessed the subjects for
prayer may be presented before God in earnestness and faith,
as the Spirit of God may move upon
you."—Counsels on Health,
pages 373, 374.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the effect of sin on my health?
FURTHER STUDY
Counsels on Health,
pages 373-382.
74
Man and Nature
LESSON 9
❑
Wednesday
May
28
Part 4
THE HEART
How does the Bible describe the condition of the human
heart?
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: who can know it?" Jer. 17:9.
"The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness
is in their heart while they live." Eccl. 9:3.
What is the meaning of the Biblical term "heart"? See
Prov. 15:11-15; Matt. 13:19; 2 Thess. 2:17.
The Bible writers use "heart" for the inner man, the way he
thinks, feels, and believes—his true character. It stands over
and against what people may think he is. "Heart" stands for
the whole person and is therefore frequently used interchange-
ably with the words "soul" and "spirit." But "heart" is espe-
cially used for man in his relationship to God. And since that
relationship is broken (the heart is evil), man's will, feelings,
thoughts, imaginations, and actions are all affected. The whole
man has become depraved.
Is this condition of man's heart irreversible? Jer. 24:7;
Ezek. 11:19.
The plan of salvation can be a reality because man's heart
can be changed. If man were irreversibly evil, the concept of
redemption would have no meaning. Man is redeemable. Jesus
will give the repentant sinner a new heart.
Ellen White explains the process in these words: "When
Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the
whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the
affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To
have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new
motives. What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life.
There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 4, pp. 1164,
1165.
The same Scriptures that speak of the evil propensity of the
human heart also assure us of the change that God works in
us if we choose to "open our hearts" and have them "renewed."
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the primary way by which people become dis-
obedient to God?
"Without the transforming process which can come alone
through divine power, the original propensities to sin are left
in the heart in all their strength, to forge new chains, to impose
a slavery that can never be broken by human
power."—Evan-
gelism,
page 192.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pages 467, 468.
75
Man and Nature
LESSON 9
❑
Thursday
May 29
Part 5
FREEDOM
"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the ser-
vant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth
ever. If the Son therefore
4hall
make you free, ye shall be
free indeed." John 8:34-36.
Sin was possible because God created man a free moral
being; he was free from fear and coercion and free to choose
whom he would serve, glorify, and obey. It was because of
this freedom that man could really love God and respond to
Him. "Without freedom of choice, his obedience would not have
been voluntary, but forced. There could have been no develop-
ment of character. Such a course would have been contrary
to God's plan in dealing with the inhabitants of other worlds. It
would have been unworthy of man as an intelligent being, and
would have sustained Satan's charge of God's arbitrary rule."
—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 49.
But when man sinned, he thereby became a slave.
In what ways is man's unfreedom revealed? Rom. 7:14-21.
The question has often been raised, If man could not use
his freedom the way he wanted to, was he then really free?
Freedom that is not oriented toward God, and not safeguarded
by His laws, ceases to be genuine freedom because sin in-
cludes the drive for each person to control the other. Sin did
not rob man of his freedom in the sense that he cannot make
choices or decisions anymore. That gift still distinguishes man
from the animals, who are guided by instinct and the laws of
nature. Man still chooses. In that respect man retains the image
of God. But it is an imperfect image, because that freedom,
apart from God, has made man a slave of other men, things,
and powers over which he has no control.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the meaning of Paul's statement: "Where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"? 2 Cor. 3:17.
"What you need to understand is the true force of the will.
This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of
decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action
of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is
theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot
of yourself give to God its affections; but you can
choose
to
serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in
you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus
your whole nature will be brought under the control of the
Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your
thoughts will be in harmony with
Him."—Steps to Christ,
page 47.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Consecration," pages 43-48.
76
Man and Nature
LESSON 9
❑
Friday
May 30
Part 6
MADE OF DUST
"Those who belong to the earth are like the one who was
made of earth; those who are of heaven are like the one who
came from heaven. Just as we wear the likeness of the man
made of earth, so we will wear the likeness of the Man from
heaven." 1 Cor. 15:48, 49, TEV.
After Adam had sinned he heard God say to him, "Dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3:19. Some have
tried to estimate the money value of that dust out of which
man is formed. But the value of a person does not lie in being
dust, but in the fact that God has formed that dust into His own
image. Man became a living being—heart, soul, spirit, and
flesh. There is love in him and laughter, courage, and strength.
He is a person. In spite of all the corruption, hatred, evil, and
sin that have reigned in the world ever since Adam first sinned,
that image of God has not disappeared. It has been distorted
and marred, but the traces of the divine inscription remain on
every human being.
How has the image of God in some degree remained in
man? Ps. 139:13-16.
Through the formation of human beings, God is the Creator
of all men. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high,
I cannot attain unto it" (Ps. 139:6), but it is Biblical truth. God
created Adam in His own image; through Adam God passed it
on to Seth, and so on. Out of one blood He formed the whole
human race. And there is only one human race; for all ethnic
groups, tall or small people, light or heavy build, share alike
in the image of God. The imperfection of the image is not re-
flected in such physical features as skin color or hair form
or bone structure, but in man's broken relationship with God,
his fellowmen and the rest of God's creation. As we all share
alike in the image of God, so we also all share alike in its
impairment.
What assurance does the Scripture give us that God has
not left men to their own? Luke 19:10; Heb. 13:5, 6.
"The lost coin, in the Saviour's parable, though lying in the
dirt and rubbish, was a piece of silver still. Its owner sought
it because it was of value. So every soul, however degraded
by sin, is in God's sight accounted precious. As the coin bore
the image and superscription of the reigning power, so man
at his creation bore the image and superscription of God."—
Ministry of Healing,
page 163.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways do I fail to recognize in my fellowmen the
image of God?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 825-827.
77
H. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS
LESSON 10
June 1-7
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
1 Cor. 15:21, 22.
All created organisms die. But only man knows about death. He is not only
daily exposed to death, which affects his whole existence, his life and his
thought; but death is to him a daily possibility, and he is constantly aware of it.
No scientific explanation has as yet been found as to why man should die.
What factor is there in man that he, after a while, grows old and dies? Why do
not his living cells continue to multiply themselves, without end, or without
distortions? It is part of our nature, and we know it. But why?
Since this question cannot be answered satisfactorily, the question shifts
to, What is the meaning of death? If there is life, why should there be death?
Or if there is death, why should there be life? Does death only prove the fool-
ishness of life, as some maintain, or the futility of all human endeavor? Or
does it, perhaps, give our sixty or seventy years of existence a special meaning,
a special richness, as others have said? But of course no satisfactory answer
can be found to these questions before we have come to grips with these two
basic questions: Why death? And what is death?
In the discussions on death, a distinction should be made between death
as the ceasing of life, and death as it relates to the whole human person. Is
death, as a cessation of life, also the very end of min? Of course when death
comes, gone are man's activities as we know them: his laughter, his love, his
praises, his thoughts. The Biblical testimony on that issue is clear. But is death
also the end of man? In other words, is death the same as nothingness? Few,
very few indeed, have considered death to be nothingness. But on the question
of the condition of man in death no unanimous opinion exists among Christians.
In fact, they range from the view that at death an entity called "soul" or "spirit"
leaves the body to be preserved until the resurrection, to the view that man as
a whole rests until the day when he is called to life again. These views are
based on the Biblical idea that death is not the end of man, but a time of rest, a
condition of transition to a new form of existence. Also on the question, Why
should men die? exists general consensus among Christians. There remains
only, and in particular, the question therefore, What happens to man at death?
What is his condition during that period of transition from life to life? In short,
What is death? Let us, in this lesson, prayerfully consider the Biblical answers
to these important questions. For not only is it the lot of all men once to die,
but also man's whole attitude toward life is largely shaped, if not determined,
by his attitude toward death.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
A Result of Sin, Gen. 2:7; 15-17
2.
Condition in Death, Eccl. 12:7; Mark 15:37
3.
The Punishment for Sin, Rev. 21:8
4.
Jesus, Our Substitute, Matt. 27:50-54
5.
Baptized Into His Death, Rom. 6:1-4
6.
Jesus' Death Reenacted, 1 Car. 15:31
Man and Death
LESSON 10
❑
Wednesday
June 4
Part 4
JESUS, OUR
SUBSTITUTE
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded
up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake,
and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many
bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the
graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city,
and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they
that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake,
and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying,
Truly this was the Son of God." Matt. 27:50-54.
Why did Jesus, who was without sin, have to die? Isa.
53:4-12; 1 Thess. 5:10.
"In dying upon the cross, He transferred the guilt from the
person of the transgressor to that of the divine Substitute,
through faith in Him as his personal Redeemer. The sins of a
guilty world, which in figure are represented as 'red as crim-
son,' were imputed to the divine Surety."—Ellen G. White,
Manuscript 84a,
1897.
"'Christ was suffering the death that was pronounced upon
the transgressors of God's law."—Ellen G. White,
Manuscript
35, 1895.
Note.
The above two quotations appear in
Questions on
Doctrine,
pages 666, 667.
"The cross must occupy the central place because it is the
means of man's atonement and because of the influence it
exerts on every part of the divine government."—Testimonies,
Vol. 6, p. 236.
"The atonement of Christ is not a mere skillful way to have
our sins pardoned; it is a divine remedy for the cure of trans-
gression and the restoration of spiritual health. It is the heaven-
ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be
not only upon us, but in our hearts and characters."—Ellen G.
White,
Letter 406,
1906.
"By transgression man was severed from God, the commu-
nion between them was broken, but Jesus died upon the cross
of Calvary, bearing in His body the sins of the whole world;
and the gulf between heaven and earth was bridged by that
cross."—Ellen G. White,
Manuscript 21,
1895.
"Thus through the crucifixion of Christ, human beings are
reconciled to God."—Ellen G. White,
Letter
255, 1904.
"Christ bore the penalty that would have fallen upon the
transgressor."—Ellen G. White,
Review and Herald,
May 23,
1899.
Note:
The above four quotations appear in
Questions on Doc-
trine,
pages 668-671.
What effect has the death of Christ on me?
The Desire of Ages,
pages 752-754.
83
Man and Death
LESSON 10
fl Thursday
June 5
Part 5
BAPTIZED INTO
HIS DEATH
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that
grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many
of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in new-
ness of life." Rom. 6:1-4.
Baptism plunges us into Christ's death. Through baptism,
which is a semblance of His death and of His burial—hence
also the Biblical requirement for baptism by immersion—we
have participated in the death of Christ.
Did Christ die the first death only, or did He also die the
second death? Matt. 27:46; 1 Thess. 5:9, 10.
Christ bore the penalty of our sins, that is, the second death,
the utter lostness and forsakenness from God. Christ has ex-
perienced the sufferings of the death that is the "wages of
sin." Rom. 6:23. "The death referred to [in Rom. 6:23 and
Deut. 30:15] . . . is not that pronounced upon Adam, for all
mankind suffer the penalty of his transgression. It is 'the sec-
ond death' that is placed in contrast with everlasting life."—
The Great Controversy,
page 544. The believer who accepts
Christ's death as a substitution of his own death is thereby
saved from destruction and total annihilation, which is the
second death.
What is the
effect
of baptism, as a burial with Christ, upon
a person's life? Rom. 6:6-14; 7:4-6; Col. 2:12.
At baptism the true believer is free: free from the penalty of
sin, free to enter life, free to say No to sin and to the tempta-
tions of the devil, free to do good and to hate evil, free to love
God and his neighbor. Christ set us free, to be free men.
THINK IT THROUGH
Did I really die to sin at my baptism? What evidence is
there?
FURTHER STUDY
84
"Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world. Self is
by profession dead to a life of sin."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 6, p. 1074.
"Those who do this [receive baptism] are to make all worldly
considerations secondary to their new relations. Publicly they
have declared that they will no longer live in pride and self-
indulgence. . . . They are subjects of Christ's kingdom, par-
takers of the divine nature."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA
Bible Commentary,
Vol. 6, page 1075.
The Great Controversy,
pages 461, 462.
Man and Death
LESSON 10
❑
Friday
June 6
Part 6
JESUS' DEATH
REENACTED
"1 protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus
our Lord, I die daily." 1 Cor. 15:31.
Death is an objective reality, as well as a personal experi-
ence. We know of death; we speak of it, and we experience it
daily in us and around us. That is also true about the death of
Christ. It happened once in history as an objective fact; and
the effects it had for all men—peace, freedom, righteousness,
and reconciliation—are an objective reality. Christ died for us
while we were yet sinners, and we did not know Him. Rom. 5:8.
His death has brought salvation to all men. John 3:16. But His
death, and its effects, must also be a daily, personal experience.
In what ways do we share in the death of Christ? 2 Cor.
4:10-12; Rom. 8:17; Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:8-11.
What is the meaning of the Lord's Supper and foot wash-
ing? 1 Cor. 11:23-27; John 13:12-17.
In the celebration of the Lord's Supper we are not only an-
nouncing the death of Christ and what it means to all men; not
only are we declaring ourselves guilty of His death; not only
do we experience the joy of having been redeemed from the
"wages of sin." We are also to announce our own death in the
death of Christ, our death to sin, our death to all pride and
jealousy, strife, and evil. We are reminded of the fact that we
shall live with Christ only when we have died with Him. 2 Tim.
2:11. The Lord's Supper is a celebration in memory of Him who
died almost two thousand years ago, and also a celebration of
what Jesus has done personally for the believers who die with
Him and who are renewed in body, soul, and spirit.
THINK IT THROUGH
What has Jesus done for me that is worthy of celebration?
"By the act of our Lord this humiliating ceremony [of the
foot washing] was made a consecrated ordinance. It was to be
observed by the disciples, that they might ever keep in mind
His lessons of humility and service.
"This ordinance is Christ's appointed preparation for the
sacramental service. While pride, variance, and strife for su-
premacy are cherished, the heart cannot enter into fellowship
with Christ. We are not prepared to receive the communion of
His body and His blood. Therefore it was that Jesus appointed
the memorial of His humiliation to be first observed."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 650.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 650-661.
85
Man and
Eternal Life
LESSON 11
June 8-14
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them
that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
1 Cor. 15:20-22.
It is a common belief that death is not the end of man. The most common
concept among the religions and philosophies of man, from ancient times until
today, is that there is something in man that cannot die, that the body may be
laid to rest, but his spirit or soul lives on. But the Bible teaches that man is a
total whole, an indivisible unit. He is flesh, soul, heart, and spirit. None of these
terms stands for a part in man that contrasts it with another part. They stand for
the whole person, as he relates to God, to his fellowmen, and to his environment.
Man lives because God gives him life. Life and all consciousness cease to-
gether. When Christ faced the terror of death, he was utterly troubled, and He
prayed the Father, "All things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from
me." Mark 14:36. When He was in the hands of death, Christ felt totally for-
saken by God. Mark 15:37. Death is the enemy of God, His last enemy, as the
apostle Paul calls it. 1 Cor. 15:26. Death separates man from God, who is Life
and the Creator of all life. The Christian's hope in death lies in the resurrec-
tion. There also lies our comfort and consolation. 1 Thess. 4:13-18. The whole
man will be restored in the resurrection: body, soul, and spirit. It will be a new
creation.
The Bible asserts that eternal life is bound up with the person of Jesus
Christ, and His death. Eternal life is Christ's gift of grace, acquired by faith
in Him "who gave Himself for us." In this light, the teaching of the natural im-
mortality of the soul is "unchristian," and the deception of antichrist; it detracts
from the Biblical message of salvation by grace through faith. It is a deception
that in essence goes back to the satanic lie, "Ye shall not surely die." Gen.
3:4. Such a teaching, therefore, cannot merely be treated as a harmless error;
it must be attacked as a satanic deception, which, in fact, it is. It covers up
the seriousness of sin, which robs man of eternal life. Christ's work and sacri-
ficial death are wholly misrepresented, and the principles and laws that are
the foundations of God's kingdom are declared null and void. The Biblical mes-
sage of resurrection and immortality is, therefore, not only a source of hope,
joy, and consolation; it is also a bulwark against deception. It is at the very
foundation of the "eternal gospel," that gives us life, freedom, and assurance.
LESSON OUTLINE
1.
The Resurrection Foretold, Isa. 26:19
2.
The Resurrection Promised, John 5:25-29
3.
The Lord Is Risen, Luke 24:5-9
4.
The Resurrection Assured, 1 Thess. 4:14
5.
God Alone Is Immortal, 1 Tim. 1:17
6.
A New Life, Rom. 6:4, 9-11
JOHN STEEL, ARTIST, © PPPA
Man and Eternal Life
LESSON 11
❑
Sunday
June
8
Part 1
THE RESURREC-
TION FORETOLD
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
88
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body
shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for
thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out
the dead." Isa. 26:19.
Isaiah's teaching of a resurrection contrasts sharply with
the idea prevailing in the nations surrounding the people of
God that at death man's body is laid at rest, but that his im-
mortal soul, or spirit, lives on. This contrast has been a crucial
difference between God's people and those whom the Bible
refers to as Babel.
It has often been noted that there are only a few clear and
unambiguous statements in the Old Testament concerning the
resurrection. Yet there are passages that lead to the conclusion
that Israel had a rather clear concept of the resurrection, and
also that this concept was widespread. The combined testimony
of the Old and the New Testaments strongly sustains the resur-
rection hope.
What is the testimony of Job and the psalmist regarding
a resurrection? Job 14:13-17; 19:25-27; Ps. 16:8-11.
The testimony of the Old Testament is clear:
"The Lord kills and he gives life,
he sends down to sheol [the grave], he can bring
the dead up again." 1 Sam. 2:6, NEB.
Death is not to be feared.
"Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me." Ps. 23:4, RSV.
"The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righ-
teous hath hope in his death." Prov. 14:32.
This certainly refers to the day when God's promise of the
resurrection would be fulfilled. In the Old Testament the resur-
rection is the basis and the only hope of salvation for the dead,
as the prophet Daniel clearly testified. Dan. 12:2, 3.
Un-Biblical views of man in death have often led Christians
into an incorrect doctrine of the resurrection. This combination
of error opens a door to spiritism.
What attitude did God express toward those who practice
the delusion of contacting dead persons? Deut. 18:9-12. See
also Lev. 19:31; 20:6; 1 Sam. 28.
Belief in spirits was widespread in the ancient East. It was
because of the evil of spiritism that the Canaanites were driven
out of their land. Spiritism always pollutes; it is abominable in
God's sight.
Why is belief in and contact with spirits an abomination
to God?
The Great Controversy,
pages 533, 534.
Man and Eternal Life
LESSON 11
❑
Monday
June
9
Part 2
THE RESURREC-
TION PROMISED
Life after death will result from what event, according to
the promise of Jesus?
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and
now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:
and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in
himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
. . . Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damna-
tion." John 5:25-29.
Jesus taught that there would be two resurrections. This is
an important part of the Christian message of the resurrection.
First, because it stresses again the fact that the resurrection
is built on the work of Jesus Christ. He has conquered death,
and nobody therefore has to remain in its bondage. He is Lord
over the living and the dead. Rom. 14:9. Second, it reaffirms
that all men will appear, bodily and literally, before the judg-
ment seat of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10. People may reject
Christ while they are still alive, or make fun of Him. At one time
they will see Him to hear His condemnation of their unbelief.
And third, this belief in the resurrection of believers and un-
believers agrees with the Biblical view that all men owe their
life, their whole existence, to Christ. He is the Creator of all
men. In Him all live and move and have their existence. Acts
17:25. The unbeliever may deny Christ; it does not alter the
fact that, as God's creature, he lives only through Him.
What experiences confirm Jesus' promise of the resurrec-
tion? Luke 7:11-17; 8:49-56; John 11:25, 38-44.
These three resurrections affirmed the possibility of ful-
fillment of Jesus' promise that all men would be raised from
the dead. They literally demonstrated the words of Jesus in
John 5:25. The
New English Bible
reads: "A time is coming,
indeed it is already here, when the dead shall hear the voice
of the Son of God, and all who hear shall come to life." The
resurrections demonstrate that Jesus is the Son of God, who is
"the resurrection and the life." John 11:25.
THINK IT THROUGH
How does Jesus' promise of the resurrection affect my life?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 530, 535, 536.
89
Man and Eternal Life
LESSON 11
❑
Wednesday
June 11
Part 4
THE RESURREC-
TION ASSURED
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
1 Thess. 4:14.
When will the resurrection take place? 1 Cor. 15:23.
"A distinction is made between the two classes that are
brought forth. 'All that are in the graves shall hear His voice,
and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.' John 5:28, 29."—The
Great Con-
troversy,
page 544.
The first group will rise from their graves at the coming of
Christ and reign with Him for a thousand years. This is the first
resurrection. When the thousand years are over, the second
resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised
and appear before God for the execution of "the judgment writ-
ten."
What illustrations does Paul give of the resurrection?
1 Cor. 15:35-44.
We have to watch for two dangers. One is that we spiritual-
ize the Biblical notion of a literal and bodily resurrection. The
other is that we lose ourselves in a materialistic view of the
resurrection that focuses on the question, In what kind of body?
To these the apostle Paul says, "How foolish."
The certainty of a literal, bodily resurrection lies in the very
resurrection of Jesus. He was not a ghost, but a real person of
"flesh and bones." Luke 24:36-43.
The earthly being must be given a heavenly body and im-
mortality. But he remains the same person, just as Jesus said
of Himself after His resurrection. See Luke 24:38, 39. People
will recognize each other in the same way as the disciples rec-
ognized their Lord.
THINK IT THROUGH
What
really is the joy of the resurrection?
"Here they stand, and the finishing touch of immortality is
put upon them, and they go up to meet their Lord in the air.
The gates of the city of God swing back upon their hinges, and
the nations that have kept the truth enter in. . . . Christ bids
them welcome and puts upon them His benediction: 'Well done,
thou good and faithful servant: . . . enter thou into the joy of
thy Lord.' What is that joy? He sees of the travail of His soul,
and is satisfied."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Com-
mentary,
Vol. 6, p. 1093.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pages 322, 482, 544, 637, 644, 661,
662.
91
Man and Eternal Life
LESSON 11
❑
Friday
June 13
Part 6
A NEW LIFE
"As Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of
the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no
more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he
died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth
unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord." Rom. 6:4, 9-11.
How does Jesus' resurrection affect our lives now? Rom.
6:1-11; 8:11-17; Col. 3:1-4.
Baptism is a sign not only of our death to sin and the wash-
ing away of our guilt, but also of a new birth in which the new
man lives a life in perfect union with God. It means a re-crea-
tion of the image of God in man.
"Christ made baptism the entrance to His spiritual king-
dom.. . . Those who receive the ordinance of baptism thereby
make a public declaration that they have renounced the world,
and have become members of the royal family, children of the
heavenly king.
"Those who do this are to make all worldly considerations
secondary to their new relations. Publicly they have declared
that they will no longer live in pride and self-indulgence. Christ
enjoins those who receive this ordinance to remember that
they are bound by a solemn covenant to live to the Lord. They
are to use for Him all their entrusted capabilities, never losing
the realization that they bear God's sign of obedience to the
Sabbath of the fourth commandment, that they are subjects of
Christ's kingdom, partakers of the divine nature."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 6, p. 1075.
THINK IT THROUGH
What evidence do 1 have that I am really resurrected with
Christ into a new life?
" `If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.'
"Let those who received the imprint of God by baptism
heed these words, remembering that upon them the Lord has
placed His signature, declaring them to be His sons and
daughters."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
Vol. 6, p. 1075.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 109-113.
93
"Through Christ, restoration as Wei
as reconciliation is provided for man.
The gulf that was made by sin has
been spanned by the cross of Calvary;
A full, complete ransom has been
paid by Jesus. by virtue of which the
sinner is pardoned, and the justice of the
law is maintained. Ail who befieve that Christ is
the atoning sacrifice may come and receive pardon
for their sins: for through the merit of Christ,
communication has been opened between God allt
man. God can accept me as His child, and I can,
claim Him and rejoice in Him as my loving
Father. We must center our hopes of heaven
upon Christ alone, because He is our substitUte'
and surety."—Selected
Messages,
Bk. 1, p. 363.
The Image of God Restored
LESSON 12
❑
Monday
June 16
"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. . . . For he hath made him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:19-21.
"Adam, in his innocence, had enjoyed open communion with
his Maker; but sin brought separation between God and man,
and the atonement of Christ alone could span the abyss and
make possible the communication of blessing and salvation
from heaven to
earth."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 67.
"Reconciliation means that every barrier between the soul
and God is removed, and that the sinner realizes what the par-
doning love of God means. By reason of the sacrifice made by
Christ for fallen men, God can justly pardon the transgressor
who accepts the merits of Christ."—Selected
Messages,
Bk. 1,
p. 396.
"Through the merit of Christ, communication has been
opened between God and
man."—Selected Messages,
Bk. 1,
p. 363.
By what means is the restoration of the relationship be-
tween God and man accomplished? Rom. 3:23-28; Eph. 2:4-19.
What is the character of the new relationship between
God and man? John 1:12, 13; Rom. 8:14-21.
When God forgives men their sins, they are then called sons
and daughters of God. How easily do we talk about this grace
of God, sing about it, and pray about it. But do we ever stop
to realize by what means it was made possible for God to
forgive sins? The forgiveness of our sins cost God the sacrifice
of His own Son. Do we take sin too lightly, and fail to consider
the cost to God? We speak of God as a gracious God. And
He is. But grace is a right, a privilege that was earned by
Christ only when he became "as one of us," "was tempted in
all things like we are," and went through the pain and the
agony of death, the wages of sin. We may never quite fully
understand such love by which Christ earned our grace, by
which we may call God "our Father." But we should never stop
meditating about it.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is my personal relationship to God?
"Forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose.
. . . God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He
sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness
for
sin, but reclaiming
from
sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love
that transforms the
heart."—Thoughts From the Mount of Bless-
ing,
page 114.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Lost and Is Found," pages 202-
206.
97
Part 2
RECONCILIATION
The Image of God Restored
LESSON 12
Tuesday
June 17
Part 3
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond
ALL ONE PERSON
nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one
in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:28.
Sin brought about a break in the relationships between man
and his fellowmen. The union between husband and wife be-
came broken: Adam accused his wife; they felt shame for each
other; Eve's desire went out to her husband, and the man
became the master of the woman. See Gen. 3:7, 12, 16. And
ever since that time pride, prejudice, envy, and jealousy have
wrought havoc and ruin to interpersonal relationships, from
slavery and racial discrimination, alienation and indifference
toward our brother or neighbor, to estrangement in marriage.
In Christ these broken relationships can be healed and re-
stored. This restoration of the union among men does not
mean, as some have concluded, that now the characteristics
of male and female, or the identities of national or ethnic
groups have been abolished in Christ. No, not at all. They are
rather affirmed. But in Christ a new relationship has been
brought about between blacks and whites, the rich and the
poor, employees and employers, male and female. That new
relationship is one of
equality,
of togetherness, and of partner-
ship, as was intended before man fell into sin.
How is the restoration of man's relationship to his fel-
lowmen related to the restoration of his relationship with
God? Matt. 6:12-15; 18:21, 22.
Man's relationship to his fellowmen is not an addition to
his relationship with God; it is an integral part of it. Love to
God and love to one's fellowmen are not like two pillars; they
are like the two sides of one coin. Neither can exist without
the other. Christianity centers in the presence of Jesus in the
believer which results in a loving relationship with God and
fellowmen.
At the judgment not only will we find out that what we have
done to the least of men will be accounted as having been
done to Jesus (Matt. 25:31-46), the Lord will also ask us:
"Where is the flock that was given thee?" Jer. 13:20. For we
all are our brothers' keepers.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do my relationships with others reflect the restoration of
the image of God in me?
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 534, 535;
The Desire of Ages,
pages 183-189.
98
•
JERRY BARTLETT
A New Creature
LESSON 13
❑
Sunday
June 22
"But now you must yourselves lay aside all anger, passion,
malice, cursing, filthy talk—have done with them! Stop lying
to one another, now that you have discarded the old nature
with its deeds and have put on the new nature, which is
being constantly renewed in the image of its Creator and
brought to know God." Col. 3:8-10, NEB.
Two aspects of the restoration of the image of God in man
stand out very clearly in this text. First, the change that makes
possible the restoration of the image of God in man, on the
one hand, is a one-time act, brought about by Christ. On the
other hand, it is a continuing process. The change that oc-
curred once is
"being constantly renewed in the image of its
Creator."
The second aspect of the restoration of the image of God
in man is that it is not an event or an experience that takes
place without some form of human involvement. In the text
(Col. 3:8-10) human activity stands out very clearly from such
expressions as: "Lay aside," "have done withi" "stop lying,"
"discard," "put on," et cetera. The renewal of our nature into
the image of God is based on the fact that Christ has already
begun His work in us. We cooperate with Christ in remaking
us in the image of God. The restoration of the image of God
in man does not take place without human involvement. We
must want to be changed, desire to have a new nature, let
Christ work in us and live in us. But even that desire is created
by God, so that the new man is a creation of God, created out
of nothing.
How does man acquire the new nature? Rom. 13:12, 14;
Eph. 4:24.
The key term is "to put on." But the new nature, compared
here with a garment, is not put on over the old one. The new
nature is not a cover. The restoration of the image of God in
man is an exchange of natures. In fact, in the words of the
apostle Paul, the old nature is crucified with Christ and buried,
and the new nature is a new creation that has come to life
by the Word of God.
THINK IT THROUGH
Am I constantly renewed in the image of God? In what
ways am I not?
"Those who are indeed purifying their souls by obeying the
truth will have a most humble opinion of themselves. The more
closely they view the spotless character of Christ, the stronger
will be their desire to be conformed to His image, and the less
will they see of purity or holiness in themselves. But while we
should realize our sinful condition, we are to rely upon Christ
as our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption."
—Testimonies,
Vol. 5, pp. 471, 472.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pages 540-542, 557-560.
104
Part 1
A NEW NATURE
A New Creature
LESSON 13
❑
Wednesday
June
25
Part 4
FELLOWSHIP
WITH OTHERS
"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with an-
other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from
all sin." 1 John 1:6, 7.
Participation in the body of Christ means also participation
in the life of other people. The closer one comes to Christ, the
closer one also grows in fellowship with others. If a person
says, I am in Christ, and lives a life in isolation from others, he
deceives himself and others. The meaning of fellowship, how-
ever, is not that as individuals we have relationships with oth-
ers, but a life in communion with others.
What is the nature of our fellowship with others? 1 John
4:7-12, 20, 21.
There is an indissoluble connection between the restoration
of man's union with God and love toward others. As the apostle
Peter says, "Now that by obedience to the truth you have puri-
fied your souls until you feel sincere affection towards your
brother Christians, love one another whole-heartedly with all
your strength." 1 Peter 1:22, NEB.
How all-inclusive is this love for our fellowmen to be?
Matt. 5:38-48. See also Acts 7:60.
The restoration of the image of God shows itself in a per-
son's attitude toward others. Following Christ's example, the
new creature is to relate to others as God has related to us.
The love of Christ that compels us has nothing to do with the
question whether the other person arouses affection in me or
not. To love him—as Christ loved us—means this: to be for
him and not against him, to help him, to forgive him, to do
good and not evil to him. It is obvious that such a love is not
spontaneously generated in us. It is a gift of God, who re-cre-
ates us in His own image.
THINK IT THROUGH
Meditate on 1 Corinthians 13.
"Love is the evidence of . . . discipleship. 'By this shall all
men know that ye are My disciples,' said Jesus, `if ye have
love one to another.' When men are bound together, not by
force or self-interest, but by love, they show the working of an
influence that is above every human influence.
Where this
oneness exists, it is evidence that the image of God is being
restored in humanity,
that a new principle of life has been im-
planted."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 678. (Emphasis supplied.)
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 674-680.
107
A New Creature
LESSON 13
❑
Thursday
June 26
Part 5
AN AMBASSA-
DOR FOR GOD
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away, behold, all things are become
new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation." 2 Cor. 5:17, 18.
Anyone who is united to Christ is also united to the work
of Christ, "for the love of Christ controls us." 2 Cor. 5:14, RSV.
What did Jesus commission His followers to do? Matt.
28:18-20.
"The Saviour's commission to the disciples included all the
believers. It includes all the believers in Christ to the end of
time. . . . For this work the church was established, and all
who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged
to be co-workers with Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 822.
By what means is the mission of the new creature accom-
plished? Mark 16:15-20.
Mission consists of
proclamation
(evangelism, teaching),
ser-
vice
(healing, helping, education, et cetera) and
communion
(church, worship, fellowship). Proclamation without service and
communion is like "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." To
have service and communion without proclaiming the Word
of God with clarity and conviction is like giving a pain reliever
to a person who needs surgery. It is, in fact, not a service at all.
What is the relationship between mission and the restora-
tion of the image of God in man? 2 Cor. 5:18 through 6:2.
"Millions upon millions have never so much as heard of God
or of His love revealed in Christ. It is their right to receive this
knowledge. They have an equal claim with us in the Saviour's
mercy. And it rests with us who have received the knowledge
. . . to answer their
cry."—Education,
page 263.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why can only the person in whom the image of God has
been restored be a good missionary?
"As Christ is the channel for the revelation of the Father, so
we are to be the channel for the revelation of Christ. . . . The
church of Christ, every individual disciple of the Master, is
heaven's appointed channel for the revelation of God to men.
Angels of glory wait to communicate through you heaven's
light and power to souls that are ready to
perish."—Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing,
page 40.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pages 825-827.
108
A
New Creature
LESSON 13
❑
Friday
June
27
Part 6
AWAITING
THE LORD
In view of salvation, what elements should the Christian's
manner of life include?
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath ap-
peared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,
in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ." Titus 2:11-13.
When Adam sinned, he hid himself from God. That attitude
is characteristic of all people who do not bear the image
of God. And worse: Some scoff at the idea that the coming of
Christ is at hand. 2 Peter 3:3, 4. The more we bear the image of
our Maker, the stronger will be the desire to be wholly united
with Him and to know Him as we have been known.
In six parables Jesus emphasized the importance of readi-
ness and watchfulness: the porter (Mark 13:34-37), the master
of the house (Matt. 24:43, 44), the faithful and unfaithful ser-
vants (Matt. 24:45-51), the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13), the talents
(Matt. 25:14-30) and the sheep and the goats (Matt. 25:31-46).
How is Christ preparing the world today for His return to
earth? Rev. 14:6, 7.
"At the time appointed for the judgment—the close of the
2300 days, in 1844—began the work of investigation and blot-
ting out of sins. . . . Both the living and the dead are to be
judged 'out of those things which were written in the books,
according to their works.'
"Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not
be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will
stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God."
"Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour's media-
tion should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect
holiness in the fear of God."
"We are now living in the great day of atonement. . . All
who would have their names retained in the book of life should
now, in the remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls
before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance."—The
Great
Controversy,
pages 486-490.
"Watch ye therefore: . . . lest coming suddenly He find you
sleeping." Mark 13:35, 36.
THINK IT THROUGH
What do I lack in the work of restoring God's image to be
ready for the judgment?
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
Vol. 5, pp. 472-476.
109
LESSONS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1975
Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult
Lessons for the third quarter of 1975 will be helped by the following
outline in studying the first two lessons. The title of the series is "Faith
in Action" which is a study of the Epistles of First and Second Timothy
and Titus.
First lesson:
"Introducing Two Young Men of Faith." Memory verse,
2 Tim. 1:5 and Titus 1:4. Lesson outline is as follows: (1) Timothy Meets
Paul, Acts 14:19, 20; 16:1a. (2) Timothy's Family Life, Acts 16:1b; 2 Tim.
1:5. (3) Timothy's Character, Acts 16:2. (4) A Snapshot of Timothy,
1 Tim. 4:12. (5) Paul's Co-worker, 2 Tim. 3:10, 11. (6) Titus, the Other
Son, Titus 1:4.
Second lesson:
"The Purpose of Theology." Memory verse, 1 Tim. 1:4.
Lesson outline is as follows: (1) The Challenge of Ephesus, 1 Tim. 1:3.
(2) Authentic Credentials, 1 Tim. 1:1. (3) Faith Misunderstood, 1 Tim.
1:3, 4. (4) Aim of Doctrine, 1 Tim. 1:5. (5) Faith Exalts the Law, 1 Tim.
1:8-11. (6) Paul, an Example of Faith and Love, 1 Tim. 1:12-17.
GOL
And Other Signposts of the Spirit
By LESLIE HARDINGE
The Promise of Power
By DeWITT S. OSGOOD
Pastor Osgood clearly and concisely presents the Biblical teachings
about the Holy Spirit, the least understood member of the Godhead. In ad-
dition, he presents practical advice on how you can receive the power the
Spirit offers—power to overcome sin, power to overcome discourage-
ment, power to have a living Christian experience, power tote!! others of
Christ.
$2.95
Dove of Gold
ipproaches the vast subject of the Holy Spirit by viewing the
Spirit's functions through illustrations He Himself has selected as vehicles for the
revelation of His character and work. In both the Old and the New Testament
several carefully chosen and highly suggestive symbols—including manna, salt, oil,
and dew—picture His activities. Dr. Hardinge outlines eighteen symbols, covering
every aspect of the Holy Spirit's ministry.
$3.95
P
reparing for the
By DeWITT S. OSGOOD
LATTER RAIN
Author Osgood continues his probing study of the work of the Holy
Spirit, begun in his book
The Promise of Power,
in this carefully prepared
book. He answers many questions about the latter rain and outlines the steps
leading up to this exciting last-day event, predicted by Scripture. Included
are forty-nine Ellen G. White quotations on the Holy Spirit's ministry,
never previously released.
$3.95
Available at your Adventist Book Center; or write ABC Mailing Service, Box 59,
Nashville, Tennessee 37202, enclosing 25 cents for the first book, and 10 cents for
each additional book. Tax where applicable.
childre
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Children never
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An attention-gripping
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"Silhouette Stories
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Available at
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68131.
STUDY
113 KEEP SPIRITUALLY Fr
CHARISMATIC COUNTDOWN
A guide for systematic study
of the charismatic movement
and its implications to Sev-
enth-day Adventists. Based
largely on RATTLING THE
GATES by Roland R. Hegstad,
it includes additional ma-
terial from the writings of
Ellen G. White. Prepared by
the Charismatic Committee
of the General Conference;
for individual or group use
(such as in prayer meetings);
organized into ten studies.
Paper $1.50
RATTLING THE GATES
Roland R. Hegstad
The textbook for CHARIS-
MATIC COUNTDOWN explores
in depth all aspects of the
charismatic movement today,
particularly glossolalia
(speaking in tongues). Every
Seventh-day Adventist needs
to be informed, to know the
genuine from the counterfeit
gifts of the Spirit.
Cloth $4.95, Paper $3.50
SALVATION UNLIMITED
Edward Heppenstall
Man's need of God and God's
search for man—that is the
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SALVATION UNLIMITED. Dr.
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The accomplishments Christ
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Cloth $6.95
OUR HIGH PRIEST
Edward Heppenstall
Our Saviour lives. He is ac-
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That we might best cooper-
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judgment period, to His final
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Cloth $4.95
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ORDER FROM YOUR LOCAL ADVENTIST BOOK CENTER OR
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PLEASE ADD 30 CENTS FOR POSTAGE FOR THE FIRST
BOOK YOU ORDER AND 15 CENTS FOR EACH ADDITIONAL BOOK. ADD STATE SALES TAX WHERE NECESSARY.
Expand Your Understanding
of This Quarter's Lessons
With
Patriarchs and Prophets
By Ellen G. White
This is the book that describes the origin of man, his sinless state, his fall,
his early history and his assurance of rescue. Frequently referred to in this
quarter's lessons,
Patriarchs and Prophets
establishes a solid foundation for
understanding what man is. Get your copy soon and be prepared to get
much more from the lesson study.
Black deluxe binding
$6.95
Softcover
3.75
Available at your Adventist Book Center or by mail from ABC Mailing Service, 2621
Farnam St., Omaha, NB 68131. In Canada: 201 16th Ave. NE, Calgary, Alta.
T2E-1J9. On mail orders, include 35 cents for the first book and 10 cents for each
additional book to cover shipping costs. Add sales tax, if applicable.
Brought to you by Pacific Press
QA
MOZAMXXE
Ursieti
TroillYING KHOOL
rt) BEIPA
Austrian
Bulgarian
G echoslovakian
Franco-Belgian
ungarian
Wiz
Romanian
German
European
@am wiz
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tom
Yugoslavian
it
b" 0
Unions
Church
S.S.
Population Churches Members Members
Angola
5,430,000
66
28,630
46,626
Austrian
7,460,000
44
2,636
3,136
Bulgarian Church
8,540,000
70
2,803
2,940
Czechoslovakian
14,410,000
129
7,421
10,200
Equatorial African
15,590,000
62
16,067
31,159
Franco-Belgian
61,260,000
122
6,918
4,377
German Dem. Rep.
17,050,000
327
11,706
13,417
Hungarian
10,350,000
144
5,541
5,541
Indian Ocean
8,993,000
152
9,049
12,412
Mozambique
7,360,000
44
14,395
27,026
Romanian
20,470,000
520
40,864
52,857
South German
29,808,200222
13,188
15,047
Southern European
109,020,000
143
12,532
12,497
Swiss
6,320,000
56
4,005
3,543
West German
31,494,615
199
12,731 15,121
Yugoslavian
20,550,000
270
10,460
10,010
No. African Mission
35,140,000
6
93
-
Senegal Mission
18,500,000
2
90
150
Division Totals
427,745,815
2,578
199,129
266,059
(Figures as of 4th quarter, 1973)
Angola
Equatorial African
Indian
Ocean
Mozambique
African
ssion
Senegal
Mission